


Quiet Places (The Sorcerer's Stone)

by Lizzie Raine (particularlygeeky)



Series: The Snake Club [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: A lot changes, Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Aunt Minnie, Azkaban, Deaf Harry Potter, Dumbledore is Manipulative, Dursley Family Bashing (Harry Potter), F/M, Fred and George are precious, Gen, Good Severus Snape, Gryffindor Neville, Harry doesn't go looking for trouble, Harry gets a dragon and a dog, Hogwarts Inter-House Relationships, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kaida means Little Dragon, Malnourishment, My poor sunshine child, Norbert(a) is changed to Kaida, Pansy is scary, Pansy loves Harry, Parseltongue, Past Child Abuse, Poor Harry, Quidditch, Quirrell is still evil, Regulus Black Lives, Remus is a substitute, Scary Hermione Granger, Sirius and Remus love Harry, Sirius is innocent, Slytherin Harry Potter, Slytherin Hermione Granger, Slytherin Ron Weasley, This is the first chapter fic that I've finished, Uncle Moony, Voldesite, We love the twins, don't hate me, i'm so proud of the results
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-20
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-09-23 07:11:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 81,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17075747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/particularlygeeky/pseuds/Lizzie%20Raine
Summary: When Harry gets to Hogwarts, he is sorted into Slytherin along with Hermione and Ron.  They quickly discover that not all is well with Harry; he's deaf.  Severus Snape takes care of Harry and Minerva works to free Sirius from Azkaban.  Dumbledore is to blame.  The basic plot is the same, with Quirrell and the Sorcerer's Stone.  This is a wild ride of friendship, mystery, and danger with a guaranteed happy ending.  Recently updated with information that makes the story make more sense.  I also wrapped up a few problems that I noticed.





	1. The Sorting

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Harry Potter at all. I have used several direct quotes from the book. I use a lot of my own headcanons in this story, but I also adopted several headcanons from alwayslily22 and Des98. They wrote a lovely fanfic that is absolutely delightful to read. Go support them. It's called Through the Emerald Eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Key:  
> Bold and italics: notes/letters/wills/articles  
> Bold: signing  
> Underlined: subtitles for Harry  
> Italics: thoughts/titles

            Minerva McGonagall carefully read through the list of first year students that were supposed to be coming to Hogwarts that year.  There were a number of names that she recognized, either from teaching their parents or teaching their siblings.  She noted which ones were Muggleborns, which ones were more likely to cause mischief, and which ones to keep a special eye on.

            “Neville Longbottom,” she read.  “That poor boy.  I hope Augusta has made sure that he is ready to face the curiosity of fellow students.  I know that she wasn’t very good at communicating emotions.”  Minerva added Neville to the list of students that she would most likely end up adopting as her children.  This year’s list was not very long, due to the fact that most of the student’s parents fought in the war against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.  Many children died during those horrible years.

            There was one particular name that jumped out at her.  Harry Potter.  The Boy Who Lived.  She had been looking forward to seeing the boy again, hoping that he was just like his parents.  Regardless of the mischief James Potter had caused while he was at school, he was still one of her favorite students.  The Marauders, as they had called themselves, had never failed to make her smile, although she made sure none of the boys ever saw those smiles.

            As always, whenever Minerva thought about her boys, she felt her heart break.  Sirius Black’s betrayal had left her sobbing that night.  James and Lily were dead, Sirius in Azkaban, Peter blown to bits, and poor Remus all alone once again.  A tear slipped down her cheek as she thought of years long gone.

            “Pull yourself together, Minerva.  You have students to welcome.”  She dashed the wetness from her eyes, finished reviewing the first-year students and swept down the stairs to welcome the newest students to Hogwarts.

 

* * *

 

            Meanwhile, Harry Potter was completely unaware that one of his professors was looking forward to meeting him.  Instead, he was anxiously trying to keep up with the conversation his new friends were having.  It was difficult to read lips that fast, but he was definitely trying, and so far, none of them suspected that Harry Potter was deaf.

            He noticed Ron Weasley and Neville Something were talking about Hogwarts Houses, and Harry studied their conversation carefully.  He had read about the different houses, of course, but he didn’t really know what they were like, and wanted to learn more.

            “I expect that I’ll be put in Hufflepuff.  I don’t think Gryffindor would be willing to take me in,” Neville said.

            “My whole family’s been in Gryffindor for centuries.  I probably won’t have a choice in the matter, but it would be nice to be different from all of my brothers.  Ravenclaw would be nice, I expect, but I’m definitely not smart enough to be put in that house.  And I think my parents might disown me if I’m put in Slytherin.  All of the bad witches and wizards came from Slytherin, you know,” said Ron.

            Harry jumped into the conversation then.  “What’s so bad about Slytherin?”

            Neville looked surprised at the question, but Ron understood why Harry was asking.  “I’m sorry, Harry.  I forgot that you didn’t grow up in the wizarding world.  There’s nothing wrong with Slytherin, but their house is known for being blood purists.  Rumor has it that Salazar Slytherin would only accept pure-blood wizards into his house, and ever since, people have given the house a bad reputation.  A lot of You-Know-Who’s supporters came from Slytherin.”

            “Oh,” said Harry.  “Well, maybe if I got into Slytherin, I could change their point of view.  I mean, there’s got to be people in Slytherin that are nice, even if the house has a bad reputation.”  
            “That’s not a bad idea, Harry.  I mean, I’ve heard stories about pure-blood families that were all sorted into Slytherin except for one brother.  He was in Gryffindor, and was good mates with a muggleborn witch and a half-blood.  Maybe we could change the opinions of everyone at Hogwarts.”

            Neville piped up at this point.  “I don’t care where I end up, as long as I’m accepted.”

            Harry couldn’t help but agree.  He wasn’t sure if wizards were very accommodating to deaf students, and he was determined that no one would be inconvenienced by his disability.  The other person in their compartment had barely said a word, although she was definitely interested in the conversation.

            “What do you think Hermione?” Harry asked.  “What house do you want to be in?”

            The black-skinned girl almost seemed to jump when she was addressed, but turned with a smile to Harry.  “I think Ravenclaw would be great fun.  I mean, a house full of knowledge and smart people.  I could read books all day, and no one would tease me about it.  But I expect that whatever sorts us into our houses will know where I belong better than I would.”

            Harry nodded, as he tried to keep up.  Hermione might not have said much on the train-ride, but she certainly could talk fast, and it was rather difficult for Harry to lipread.  But, he supposed, he would need to get used to having a hard time lipreading since there were so many students at Hogwarts.  He wasn’t sure how he was going to know if someone was calling his name, but he figured he could solve that problem later.

            The train rolled into Hogsmeade, and Harry found himself in awe of the sights around him.  The village was picturesque, the kind that Aunt Petunia would call “charming.”  Harry dragged his trunk out of the train, following the flow of students onto the platform.  Ron and Neville waited for him as he set his trunk beside the pile of others, and followed them to Hagrid.

            Due to his large beard, Harry had a hard time reading Hagrid’s lips and had to rely on watching the people around him to figure out what they were supposed to be doing.  He noticed Hermione looking at him out of the corner of her eyes, and Harry turned his attention on her, just in case she was speaking to him.  Hermione, however, resolutely turned her head to the front and marched after the rest of the first years.

            Harry made sure that he was at the back of the group, so that he could keep track of everyone.  After spending so much time trying to escape Dudley’s fists, he liked knowing when someone was approaching him.  Even if it meant he couldn’t see anyone’s lips.

            One boat ride across the lake later, Harry was gazing up at the castle in awe.  Hermione was watching him again, concern on her face.  Ron and Neville were too absorbed in the glory of Hogwarts to notice that anything was wrong with their new friend.

            “The castle is so beautiful; don’t you agree Harry?” Hermione asked quietly so as not to get the attention of the other boys.  Harry didn’t seem to acknowledge her question in the slightest, and Hermione’s suspicions were confirmed.  Her new friend was deaf.

            The muggleborn had a friend that was deaf back home, and had recognized the signs almost immediately.  Harry was remarkably high-functioning.  She didn’t think anyone else had caught on to his disability, and Harry didn’t seem to be the kind of person to tell anyone.  He would probably end up dealing with not being able to hear his lessons on his own.  This, however, would not happen, at least not on Hermione’s watch.  She vowed to talk to a professor as soon as she was able to.

            In the meantime, though, she had to focus on where she was going to be sorted.  Hermione had paid attention to the conversation between the boys on the train.  Her nerves were frayed, and she swallowed in order to wet her dry throat.  Nothing worked however, and she was left wringing her hands and fidgeting.

            Harry was far more nervous than Hermione.  He was sure that the instant a professor saw him, they would cry out “This is obviously a mistake.  You shouldn’t be here,” and would send him back to the Dursleys.  He had no idea how revered he was in the wizarding world, and that most of the professors at Hogwarts would rather cut off their arm than refuse to let Harry Potter go to Hogwarts.

            None of this was known to Harry, and he spent his time in silence, focusing on drinking in as much of the castle as he could before he was sent home.  Hagrid led the first years to a large staircase before leaving them in the care of a strict-looking witch.  Her eyes landed on Harry and his thought raced as he was sure he was about to be called out as an imposter.  He was surprised to find that the woman’s severe features seemed to soften into an almost smile before she turned to address all of the students.

            “Welcome to Hogwarts.  I am Deputy Headmistress Professor McGonagall.  The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses.  The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts.  You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

            “The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.  Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards.  While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points.  At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor.  I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

            “The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school.  I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.  I shall return when we are ready for you.  Please wait quietly.”

            Professor McGonagall swept out of the room, and the students all broke out into a nervous babble.  Harry tried to track the different conversations, but everyone was talking too fast, or wasn’t facing him.  Neville and Ron were both bouncing on their toes in excitement, and Ron was talking about wrestling a troll in front of the whole school.

            Hermione was standing next to Harry, noticing that his brow was furrowed in concentration.  She tapped his arm to get his attention, and the boy startled.

            “I’m sorry, were you calling my name?” Harry asked, his posture a little sheepish.

            “No, I figured I wouldn’t be heard over all of this noise.  Do you really think that it would be a good idea to be sorted into Slytherin?”

            “A lot of people that grow up with bigotry don’t know any other way of thinking.  Sometimes they just need someone to show them a different way, and if they say I belong in Slytherin, then I’m going to try my hardest to change their opinions,” Harry answered honestly.

            “Well, whichever house we’re sorted into, I hope we end up in the same one.  I think you and I could be good friends,” Hermione said with a smile.

            Harry beamed brightly at her before he was suddenly jostled.  His back felt like it was on fire, but the boy merely ignored the pain and looked around to see what had caused the commotion.  The students around them were gazing upwards in amazement, and Harry followed their line of sight.  About twenty ghosts were milling about, chatting to each other and glancing down at the eleven-year-olds.  Harry was delighted to see ghosts, especially since Uncle Vernon had so viciously denied the existence of such things.

            Unfortunately, ghosts’ lips were rather difficult to read, especially since they were at least twenty feet away from Harry.  Philosophically, he shrugged and determined to not worry about it.  If anything important had been said, he could ask Hermione later.  She looked like she would be a wonderful friend in the upcoming years.

            Eventually, Harry noticed the return of Professor McGonagall, and paid attention to her.  “Move along now.  The Storing Ceremony’s about to start.”  The first years shuffled towards the woman, and it seemed to Harry that she gave a sigh of exasperation.

            “Please form a line, and follow me.”  They fell into a line and followed McGonagall into what had to be the Great Hall.  It was huge, with hundreds of burning candles floating in the air and the night sky on the ceiling.  There were so many students that sat at the four long tables, and Harry felt a little alone and small.

            They approached the front of the hall, and stood before the teachers’ table.  On a stool, there stood an old, beaten and patched up hat.  Harry watched it carefully, wondering what this hat had to do with wrestling a troll.  He was the first student to notice when it sprang to life, and, although Harry couldn’t hear it, began to sing.

            It was several minutes before Harry noticed the other students around him clapping, and so he quickly joined in.  When the first student walked up to the hat, Harry was surprised, and tried to pay attention to what was happening, but he was confused.  He had missed what McGonagall had said, and he couldn’t read lips on a hat.  He just prayed that he could figure out what he was supposed to do and not make a fool of himself.

            Hermione tapped Harry on the shoulder, and he turned to her.  “We have to try on the hat.  Professor McGonagall calls our name, we try on the hat, and it tells us what house we are in.”

            Harry nodded his thanks before turning to watch McGonagall like a hawk.  He wanted to make sure he didn’t miss when she called his name.

            The bushy-haired girl was pleased that she could help her new friend, and therefore, almost missed it when McGonagall called “Granger, Hermione.”  She walked to the front of the Great Hall, sat on the stool and pulled the hat onto her head.

            “Well, then.  Hermione Granger, you have a strong will and a brave heart.  Not too bad in the brain either.  Hufflepuff is definitely not the house for you, and I think Gryffindor would drive you to distraction.  They are always doing dangerous things, you know.  Ravenclaw would be a good fit for you, but I can see that you are desperate to prove yourself in the wizarding world.  I would say Slytherin would be the best house, but I haven’t sorted a muggleborn into Slytherin in nearly a century.”

            “Put me in Slytherin if that’s where the best fit is.  I’ve dealt with racism my whole life, and I’m eager to prove people wrong.”

            “I have no doubt about that.  And if you’re sure you can handle it, SLYTHERIN!”  The hat shouted the last word to the Great Hall, and every single person went silent.  Hermione tugged the hat off of her head, and walked primly to the table of green-and-silver clad students.  She turned and gave Harry a huge smile, mouthing “You’ll do great” to him.

            Harry beamed at the witch before turning his attention back on Professor McGonagall.  She had been speechless while Hermione was sitting down, and it took her a minute to recover her composure.  She called out for Longbottom, Neville.

            “Oh, so that’s what his last name is,” Harry thought to himself.  He watched the poor boy sweat nervously as the hat took a moment before it, presumably, called out a house.  The table directly to Harry’s right erupted into cheers, and Neville went and joined that table, his hand being pumped vigorously by the Weasley twins that Harry had met on the platform.

            Finally, Harry saw his own name, and walked up to sit on the stool where so many other students had sat before.  He briefly wondered if this was the same stool that his parents had sat on when they were being sorted.

            What came next, however, nearly knocked Harry off of his chair.  He heard the hat talk.  “Harry Potter.  I’ve been waiting for years to be able to sort you.  You are smart, I’ll give you that, and have plenty of courage to survive what you have.  You have a desire to prove yourself.  I can also see that you are going to great things in your time at Hogwarts.  You will be instrumental in bridging the gap between the four houses.  And, you are kind.  I do believe that Slytherin would be a good place for you.  That way, you’ll be able to help out your friend, Miss Granger and prove your own worth while you’re at it.”

            “I don’t care what house you put me in, as long as I’m allowed to stay at Hogwarts,” Harry thought at the hat.

            “Well then, SLYTHERIN.”

            Harry tugged off the hat, and the world fell silent once again, but he couldn’t help but feel happiness in his heart.  He skipped off to join Hermione at the Slytherin table, ignoring the way people were staring at him.

            Ron was watching all of these things with great trepidation.  He knew that he was different from all of his brothers and he wanted to prove that to his family.  There were several Hufflepuffs, a few Ravenclaws, five Gryffindors, and a Slytherin that were sorted before McGonagall finally called, “Weasley, Ronald.”

            The walk to the stool felt like a death march, and it almost felt like his heart stopped and restarted a couple times, he was so nervous.  He carefully sat down and tugged the ragged old hat down over his eyes.

            “Another Weasley, eh.  I know just what to do with you,” the hat said.  But before the hat could yell out Gryffindor, Ron spoke up.

            “No, you don’t.  I’m different than my family.”

            The hat seemed too surprised to say anything for a few moments.  Eventually it spoke again.  “I have been sorting wizards and witches for centuries, and every member of your family has gone into Gryffindor.  It would be a shame to ruin the tradition.”

            “You haven’t judged me based on who I am.  I deserve a fair and equal chance to be sorted into the house that best suits me.  If your logic makes sense, then I will go where you sort me.  But give me that chance first.”  Ron fisted his hands into his robes, his heart in his throat.  He had never dared to speak so boldly to anyone or anything before, and it felt exhilarating.

            “You are stubborn and determined, as well as a master strategist.  I do believe you might be the best chess player I have had the pleasure of sorting.  You are smart, and above all else, loyal, but only to those who have earned your respect.  You’ve already bonded with two other students, and I can tell that you would willingly lay down your life for them, if it came to that.  You have the qualities of a Weasley, for sure, but you are different, as you claim.  I do believe you belong in SLYTHERIN.”

            Ron grinned brightly before tugging off the hat and handing it to McGonagall, ignoring her shocked expression and threw a wink to his twin brothers.  They, too, were smiling, but Ron figured it was because they would wrangle him into their pranks on the Slytherin house.  They could already get into the other house common rooms, but had never had an ally in the snake house.  Percy, however, was frowning at his youngest brother.  Ron figured he had better write home as soon as possible, so that the prefect wouldn’t tell them his news.

            The ginger was so excited, he almost skipped over to sit next to Harry and Hermione at the Slytherin table.  Ron threw his arm around the smaller boy, not noticing the slight wince of pain on said boy’s face.  “I’m so glad we’re in the same house, mate.  It would be a right shame if we were separated.  And look at the three of us.  We breaking traditions and forging our own way in the world.  Good for us.”

            McGonagall had to clear her throat several times before she was able to bring order to the Great Hall after the number of surprising sortings that had happened that evening.  She finished the final few students quickly before sweeping the Sorting Hat and stool away and taking her place next to the Headmaster.

            Professor Dumbledore stood up and began to speak.  Hermione nudged Harry and nodded towards the front of the hall so he could read the lips of the Headmaster as he began his annual pre-feast speech.

            “to a new year at Hogwarts!  Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words.  And here they are:  ___wit! Blubber! Odd____! Tw___!”  Harry wasn’t entirely sure what the Headmaster had said to them, since they were words he hadn’t encountered before.

            He sat back down and the tables filled immediately with food.  Harry stared at the piles of rich appetizers in amazement.  It was more food than he had ever seen in his whole life.  He didn’t even know where to begin.

            Hermione offered Harry some potatoes after she had helped herself to them.  Harry took them from her gratefully, and put a couple on.  He looked around and set the bowl on the table, hoping that it was within reach of anyone that would want some.  He took a small roll from a basket nearby and filled his goblet with pumpkin juice.

            The meal seemed like a feast for Harry, but both Ron and Hermione were concerned about how small and meager it seemed.

            “Are you not hungry mate?” Ron asked.

            Harry, however, didn’t hear him and was busy trying to cut into one of his potatoes.  Ron looked quizzically at Hermione.

            She took out what looked like a type of quill and scribbled something down on a napkin before handing it to Ron behind Harry’s back.  Ron read the words and looked at the boy, shocked.  It read: “ _ **He’s deaf.  I think he can read lips, but you have to get his attention if you want to talk to him.”**_

            The Weasley tapped Harry on his shoulder and asked the question again.

            “I’ve been a little queasy tonight; nervous about the Sorting, I expect.  I don’t think I could handle all that much tonight, but I should be fine tomorrow morning.”

            Ron shrugged, accepting the answer, and turned back to piling his plate high with chicken.  Hermione, however was not so convinced.  She had noticed how small the boy was, and her suspicions were aroused.  The witch ate quietly, lost in thought on how she could make Hogwarts easier on the boy.  She needed to talk to her head of house, but wasn’t sure which teacher it was, nor how to speak to them during the feast.

            Hermione needn’t have worried, though, as McGonagall had also noticed, with great concern, that Harry Potter was far too small to be completely healthy.  Both James and Lily were significantly taller than he was in their first year, and they were definitely not as skinny.  She swirled her goblet of pumpkin juice before coming to a decision.

            Minerva McGonagall stood up and walked towards the door at the end of the teachers table, tapping Professor Snape on the shoulder as she went, beckoning him to follow her.  Once they were in the deserted corridor, Snape rounded on her.

            “What can I do for you, Minerva?”

            “Severus, I think something is wrong with one of your students.”

            “Has one of them already broken the rules and is in need of punishment.  I can’t say I’m surprised.  With Weasley in my house, I knew it would only be a matter of time.”

            McGonagall was a little amused at Severus’s immediate conclusion, but her good humor was quickly erased when she thought of little Harry Potter.  “I’m sure you noticed that Harry Potter was sorted into your house.”

            “And a right nuisance, I’m sure he’ll be.  Just like his father.”

            “Severus, you should not judge your students before you get to know them.  Remember, Harry is also Lily’s son.  As it is, I think Harry is rather small for his age.  I’m not positive, but I do recall both of his parents being significantly taller than he is.  And, I noticed, he barely put anything on his plate.  I’m sure something is wrong.”

            Severus Snape looked at McGonagall and thought about what she had observed.  And deep in his dark heart, a small flame of fire was rekindled.  “I certainly hope it isn’t what I think it is.  But I shall speak to him, and see if there is something, we can do to help him.”

            Minerva was shocked to realize that Severus Snape actually meant it, and he was going to speak to Harry about his living conditions.  “I do hope he’ll be alright,” she said quietly, and Snape couldn’t help but agree with her.  Together, they reentered the Great Hall, both teachers subtly watching Harry Potter as the banquet drew to a close.

            Eventually, Albus Dumbledore stood up to end the feast, announcing, as usual, that the Forbidden Forest was, in fact, forbidden and that Quidditch try-outs would be held in a couple weeks.  (Harry wasn’t sure what “wid-hitch” was, but figured he could ask later.)  Dumbledore also announced, unusually, the fact that a certain section of the third floor was strictly forbidden if the students didn’t want to die.  (At this point of the announcements, Harry wasn’t sure he wanted to study magic if there were parts of the castle that would kill him.)

            The students were then excused to their dormitories, and Harry followed Hermione and Ron through the throngs of people and down towards the dungeons.  He wasn’t entirely sure how he would be able to find his way around the school, what with all of the twists and turns the corridors took.  It didn’t help that Marcus Flint, the prefect, told them that the staircases liked to move.

            _Oh, well.  I better figure my way around fast, or I’ll never make it to a single class,_ Harry thought with a shrug.

            The Slytherin common room was extremely cozy and comfortable looking.  Harry looked around in awe, taking in the lovely green and silver decorations that were tastefully elegant, not gaudy as the Gryffindor common room was sure to be.  He could feel a bit of a humid chill in the room, and realized that their dormitory must be under the lake, especially since he could see various aquatic animals through the windows.  The fire burned brightly, however, fighting away the damp and filling Harry with the sense that he was home, that he was safe.

            Harry followed Ron up the stairs to the boys’ dormitory where their trunks were already placed next to the beds.  One of the boys pushed past Harry and claimed the bed closest to the window, his white-blond hair flashing in the dim light.  Ron put a hand on Harry’s back, steadying his friend.

            “Why don’t we bunk next to each other?  And, we’ll be closest to the bathroom in the morning.”

            Harry smiled at his friend and gladly sat on the bed with his trunk at the end.  It was far more comfortable than anything he had ever slept on, and Harry was sure that the mattress was made out of clouds.

            The boys all set about getting ready for bed, but Ron pulled Harry outside of their dorm room.  “Look mate, I know you’re deaf.  Hermione told me.  You don’t need to pretend with me.  Plus, I think you should talk to the professors so classes will be a bit easier for you.”

            Harry felt his face pale, but decided he needed to trust Ron and Hermione to be kinder than the Dursleys.  “I can manage just fine.  I’ll have to sit closer to the front of classes.  There’s no need to bother the professors with something that is easily managed.”

            “Harry, this isn’t something you just have to deal with.  It’s a real problem, and is also easily fixed.  I’m sure, if not Professor Snape, then Professor McGonagall would be willing to help you.”

            “I don’t want to be a bother.  Now, I’m beat.  Let’s get to bed.”

            Harry effectively cut off all communication with his ginger friend by turning around and going back into their dormitory.  At that moment, Marcus Flint called out for Harry.  Ron grabbed Harry’s arm and pulled him back around so he could see what the prefect was saying.

            “Professor Snape would like to talk to you.  I’ll take you to his office.”

            Harry followed the prefect down the stairs, casting a worried glance over his shoulder at his new best friend.  He really hoped he hadn’t broken any rules, as that would be a horrible way to start the school year.

            The office of their head of house was not far from the Slytherin common room.  In fact, it took barely any time at all for the two students to reach the door.  Marcus knocked twice, and waited a few seconds before opening the door.  Harry figured that Snape had told them to come in.

            Professor Snape was a tall, greasy looking man with a hooked nose and an expression that said he would not tolerate any misbehavior at all.  The man was sitting at a desk, looking over a long piece of parchment before motioning to the chair across for him.  Harry sat tentatively on the seat while Marcus Flint left the office.

            “Mr. Potter.  Professor McGonagall brought to me her concerns that you were underweight and far too short for your age.  She and I agreed that we would speak to you before any actions were taken.

            “First, I want you to know that you are in a safe environment.  Everything told to me will be kept confidant, unless you give me permission otherwise.  Second, I need to know about your home life.  It might be a touchy subject, but I believe that we will be able to help you succeed here at Hogwarts with that knowledge.”

            Harry sat confused as he read the words on Snape’s lips.  “Am I not in trouble then?” he asked tentatively.

            “Goodness, no child.  I’m here to help.  Professor McGonagall and I are concerned that you were being abused at your home.  If this is not true, then everything will proceed normally.”

            Harry fidgeted in the chair, not quite meeting Snape’s eyes.  “The Dursleys were very kind to take me in and give me a place to live.  I am very grateful to them.”

            Snape frowned.  It sounded as if that answer was rehearsed or repeated to him enough times that Harry was convinced of the truth.  And if he had stayed with the Dursleys, he knew how hateful they could be towards Lily.  They were probably far worse towards her son.  “Did you say the Dursleys?” he asked the boy.

            “Yes, my Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon.  I was left on their doorstep ten years ago, and they took me in.”

            “Harry, did they starve you?  Did they hit you at all?”

            At this, Harry knew he should probably lie, but he didn’t want to start off the year by making his head of house angry at him.  So instead, he sat there quietly, not saying anything.

            This was enough of an answer for Severus Snape, however, and he immediately stood up.  “Come, Harry.  I’m going to take you to Madame Pomfrey, and she is going to figure out what we can do to help you be healthy.”  
            Professor Snape led the boy out of his office and dungeons, through the corridors, and up more staircases than Harry could keep track of.  Eventually, they made it to a rather large room where a plump, cheerful witch was making beds.  “Poppy, I need you to run a full physical on Mr. Potter, here.  If it’s alright with him, I want to know what injuries he has sustained.”

            Poppy Pomfrey came over to the young boy and led him to one of the beds.  Since he was so short, she helped him onto the bed.  “Where do you hurt, little one?”

            Because her face was facing away, Harry didn’t see the question, and failed to answer the matron.  Snape frowned at the young boy.  Madame Pomfrey pulled away in order to look at her new patient’s face.  “It’s all right Mr. Potter.  If you prefer, I can have Professor Snape wait out in the hall.  But we’ll both be able to help you better if he knows what’s wrong.”

            Harry glanced at his new head of house, and thought for a moment.  _I really hope he’s better than the Dursleys.  He’s going to be in charge of me for the next seven years.  I would rather not make him angry at me_ , he thought to himself.

            Out loud, he said.  “Are you going to punish me, sir?”

            Snape’s features softened.  _Abuse is even more likely the problem._   He came over and sat on the bed next to Harry, hiding the pain that Harry’s flinch caused.  “No, Harry.  I will not punish you.  Here at school, students who break the rules are given detentions that usually include cleaning of some kind.  And I hope that I don’t ever have to give you a detention.”

            Harry nodded before turning back to Poppy.  “He can stay.  It would be best if Professor Snape knows, especially since he’s going to be my head of house.”

            “I think that is a wise decision, young man.  Now, tell me, where does it hurt?” Poppy Pomfrey said.

            Harry ducked his head at the question and mumbled out something that sounded like, “nothing’s wrong.  I’m fine.”

            Neither adult believed the boy though.  “Mr. Potter, I’m going to have you remove your robes so that I can do a full physical on you.  If, at any point, you are uncomfortable, you let me know immediately.  Do you understand?”

            Harry nodded and pulled off his robes, leaving him in a t-shirt and jeans that seemed to drown the poor boy.  They were easily three times as big as Harry was.  Severus narrowed his eyes slightly at the sight, before standing up.  He figured the young boy would want as much privacy as possible, and moved to stand near the door.  Harry watched his professor leave, not really understanding what was going on, but accepting if philosophically.  He turned back to the Healer in time to catch her asking him to remove his shirt as she closed the curtains around the bed.

            Harry pulled his shirt off, ignoring the pain that came from the movement.  He also didn’t notice the way Poppy’s eyes widened at the sight of his torso.  For the past ten years, Harry had been repeatedly starved as a punishment, as well as periodically beaten.  He had horrible bruises along his shoulders and some rather nasty road burn from when Uncle Vernon tossed him out at the train station that morning.

            Madame Pomfrey tried to shake off her horror in order to do her job and treat this poor boy.  She could count every single rib, and his stomach was definitely lacking in the usual chubbiness of his age group.  His shoulder bones almost looked as though they were poking through the skin, and Poppy figured his arm was smaller around than the Golden Snitch.

            “Harry, dear, I’m going to cast a few spells that will tell me every injury you’ve received.  It might tickle a little bit, but it certainly won’t hurt.  Is that alright?”

            The boy nodded, and Madame Pomfrey cast the spells before looking at the results.  Her eyes widened as she scanned through the dozens of previously broken bones and sprained joints, the lacerations on his back that hadn’t healed properly, and above all, the ear infection that had left Harry completely and irreversibly deaf.

            “Severus,” she breathed out.  “Severus, he’s completely deaf.”


	2. The Headmaster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severus and Minerva confront Dumbledore about Harry's treatment at the Dursleys.

After gaining permission from Harry, Madame Pomfrey pulled the bed curtains back, allowing Severus to see the result of the Dursley’s punishments.  Bile rose up in his throat as he stared at the crisscross patterns of his scars as well as the newly scabbed over road rash and the dark blue bruises.  _No one should ever treat a child like that_ , he thought to himself.

            He knelt down in front of Harry, making sure that the boy could see his face.  “Harry, I’m really sorry this has happened to you.  Do you mind if I bring Professor McGonagall in?  She will be able to help me make sure you never have to go back to the Dursleys again.”

            Severus Snape had not cried since he had heard the news that Lily was dead, but he wanted to shed a few tears at the surprise on her son’s face.  It seemed as though he had not expected any adult to try to help him out of his situation.  But Harry nodded, agreeing that McGonagall could come visit them in the hospital wing.

            Once he had sent a message to his colleague, Snape turned back to Harry.  “Listen, even if I have to adopt you myself, I will personally make sure you don’t have to see the Dursleys ever again.  Is that alright with you.”  
            Harry seemed to shrink into himself as he answered, “I don’t want to be a burden, Professor.  I’m fine going back in the summers as long as I can spend the holidays here.”

            “You are not a burden.  You never should have been sent to your aunt in the first place.  Lily and Potter would not have let you anywhere near those monsters if they had lived.”

            Harry perked up.  “You knew my parents?”

            “Yes, child.  Lily was my best friend for a long time.  We were in the same year at school.  I was able to watch as your father fell in love with your mother.”

            Poppy cut in.  “James Potter and his friends were some of my favorite students, but I saw them all too frequently in the hospital wing.  If I didn’t see one of them for one reason or another for a week, I began to be concerned that they had died.  They loved playing pranks, and were right mischief makers.  But they never failed to bring a smile to my patients.  It didn’t matter who was up here, one of them brought treats for the students at least once a week.  No one ever went their stay without a get-well card and some sweets.”  
            Harry was practically glowing with the knowledge of his parents.  Their names had been treated as curse-words in the Dursleys’ house, and so he never heard about his parents without some insult or curse.  He had grown up hearing that James Potter was a drunk, lazy man who couldn’t be bothered to support his family while Lily was the slut that settled for the most convenient man.

            Now though, he had finally heard something kind about the people who had given birth to him, and Harry felt truly happy for the first time in his short life.  The boy whispered a soft thank you to the adults.

            Just then, McGonagall swept into the hospital room, pausing for a moment before spotting Professor Snape and moving to him.  Severus stood up to greet his colleague, prepared to explain to her the problem when she let out a soft cry.  Her eyes were trained on Harry Potter, taking in the evidence of his abuse.  A tear wound its way down her cheek.

            “Oh my.  The poor boy.  Severus, I thought something was wrong, but I never imagined anything this horrible.  What should we do?”  
            “We talk to Professor Dumbledore.  He was the one that left the boy at the Dursleys and they are the ones that did this to him.”

            “I told him they were the worst kind of muggles.  I knew that they wouldn’t treat him the way he should have been,” Minerva said.

            “We’ll need evidence.  And I would rather the boy not be dragged into this mess.  Not to mention, we can’t have him undress in front of a court.”  Severus paced the floor thoughtfully, while Harry traced their movements with his eyes.

            “Do you think this could go to court?” Minerva asked.

            “I think that Dumbledore has his own reasons to keep the boy with the Dursleys, and he will fight for those reasons.”

            Minerva shook her head vehemently.  “There is never a reason to leave a child in an abusive home.  I will adopt him.  I will even kidnap him and take him to America, if needed.  If only Sirius was innocent, we would have the weight of the House of Black behind us.”

            Severus was silent for a moment, pacing back and forth while watching Harry from the corner of his eye.  “Are we sure Black did betray them.  I mean, we both knew him in school, and from what I could tell, he would rather die than betray Potter.”

            “You might be right.  Sirius didn’t even get a trial.  But there were several eyewitnesses to him blowing up the street and killing all of those muggles.  Plus, he had to have been the Potters’ Secret Keeper.  There’s no one else they would have chosen.”  Minerva was silent for a moment, thinking about the problem.  Then she snapped her fingers.  “We could use the Pensieve.  We could ask Harry if he could give us his memories of the abuse, and we could use those as evidence against the Dursleys.  And, we could visit Sirius and ask him to drink Veritaserum, that way we know for sure what happened.”

            Snape nodded.  “That’s a good idea.  I can go get the potion, while you talk to Harry.”

            Minerva moved to the bed as Severus left the room.  She sat next to the boy while Poppy moved around, gathering various potions and bandages.  “Hi Harry.  I’m Professor McGonagall.  Professor Snape and I are going to work together to make sure that you don’t have to go back to those horrid people.  But we need your help.  Using magic, we can copy your memories and use them as evidence against the Dursleys, but only if you agree.  We don’t want to make you do anything you don’t want to.”

            “Professor, you don’t have to speak so slowly.  I can read your lips just fine.  And if that’s what you need, then I will be happy to help.  How do you copy my memories?” Harry said, his bright green eyes wide with curiosity.

            “I just need you to focus on all of the times the Dursleys beat you, starved you, locked you up, or did anything that would hurt you,” Minerva said as she gently placed the tip of her wand next to Harry’s temple.  Carefully, she extracted the memories and placed them into the little bottle that Madame Pomfrey gave to her.

            “Thank you, Harry.  We are going to do everything in our power to help you.  Now, I’m going to leave you in the capable hands of Madame Pomfrey so you can get all healed up.”  McGonagall bustled out of the room, lacking her usual elegance.   She rushed down to the dungeons, thoroughly ignoring the fact that Peeves was messing with one of the Charms classrooms on the second floor.  She had far more important things to deal with than a miscreant poltergeist.

            Severus was just coming up the steps from the dungeons when they nearly ran into each other.  Minerva held up the bottle of swirling memories, while Severus showed her the three bottles of clear potion he had grabbed from his office.  “This is all I have.  Just in case we need it.”

            Minerva nodded and the two professors walked swiftly towards the Headmaster’s office, eager to confront the wizard.  They approached the gargoyle, and the statue leapt to the side without letting the two adults say the silly password.  It didn’t want to get into whatever was making the potions master and the Deputy Headmistress that angry.

            They stalked up the stairs, rather than wait for the stairs to wind slowly up.  Minerva didn’t even hesitate at the door, simply throwing it open, disturbing the Headmaster’s studies.  “Albus, we need to talk.”

            “Minerva, Severus.  To what do I owe this pleasure?”

            “As you know, Albus, young Harry Potter was sorted into Slytherin this evening.  I spoke to Severus about my concern of the condition of the boy, and he later took him up to see Poppy.  That boy has been severely abused by the muggles you left him with,” Minerva said slowly and carefully so as not to show how angry she was.

            “As far as I know, Harry was healthy and fine there.  He was safe.”

            At this, Severus exploded.  “SAFE?  YOU KNOW BLOODY WELL THAT HARRY WAS NOT SAFE!  PETUNIA AND HER WRETCHED HUSBAND NEVER CARED FOR HARRY.  HE’S GOT SCARS, ALBUS!  HE’S DEAF BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY DID TO HIM!”

            “Severus, please, calm yourself.  All of the protections I put in place for Harry have not been disturbed, which means he was perfectly safe and unharmed.”  Albus remained as cool and collected as ever, although he had lost the usual twinkle in his eye.

            Minerva summoned the Pensieve from its cupboard and removed the memories that were currently in it.  She poured out the memories she had collected from Harry and set the bowl on the desk.  “These are Harry’s memories, given to me willingly.  You will enter the memories first, followed by Severus and me.  And then, we will see how unharmed the boy is.”

            Albus recognized that this was not the time to argue and stuck his finger into the Pensieve, vanishing into the memories.  Snape and McGonagall followed immediately.

            They arrived in the home of Petunia and Vernon Dursley, or more specifically the kitchen where a little boy, no older than four years old was cooking breakfast.  It was rather obvious that the boy was Harry and that he was daydreaming as the food slowly turned a crispy black.  Petunia came into the kitchen and started to shriek at the boy.  He cowered against the stove, wary of the heat before the woman grabbed him by the ear and hit the boy with the hot pan he was cooking with.  Oil splashed all over Harry’s arms and face, and he fell to the floor, crying.  A large welt was forming on his face where the pan had hit him.

            The scene changed to show Harry, the same age, carrying a large bucket full of soapy water up the stairs.  Dudley came running down and purposely crashed into Harry, knocking him down the entire flight.  When Harry didn’t immediately get up, Dudley jumped the last few steps, landing on the little boy’s arm.  A loud crack was heard.

            There were several other instances similar to those before, the only things changing were the people who hurt Harry and the age.  There was one particular memory around the age of seven that stuck out to the audience.  Harry was on his hands and knees in the garden, crying while pulling weeds.  Minerva stepped closer to the boy and noticed that there were drops of blood coming from his ears.  They saw Vernon Dursley come outside and call for the boy, ordering him to fetch the man a brandy.  When there was no response, he thundered towards Harry, grabbed a belt hanging by the door and proceeded to hit the boy until his shirt was in shreds and he was bleeding profusely.

            After that, every memory was distinctly silent.  They saw how horrible the Dursleys were to Harry when the first letter arrived, locking him in a small cupboard off of the stairs.  It wasn’t even the larger cupboard underneath the stairs as that one was being used by cleaning supplies.  They refused to let him out of the cupboard for a week.  Not to use the bathroom, not to eat, nothing.  It simply got worse when even more letters began to arrive.  Eventually, the Dursleys abandoned their house, throwing Harry into the back of their car with the rest of the luggage as they drove all across England.  When Hagrid arrived to give Harry his letter, they were scared of the giant man, but couldn’t do anything about it.

            The next memory was when Harry had already been to Diagon Alley, since he had his trunk and wand and such.  It seemed that they were finally leaving Harry alone, at least, until they realized that the boy had not learned any magic and could not harm them.  Then, they locked him back in the cupboard until the day came for Harry to travel to King’s Cross Station.  Harry had managed to convince them, through his locked door, that they wouldn’t need to feed him or worry about him for the majority of the year.

            The Dursleys loaded his school things into their car, and threw Harry out once they got to King’s Cross.  They barely let the boy grab his things before speeding away, nearly hitting him with their car.  There, the memories ended, and the three adults came out of the Pensieve.

            Minerva was openly crying at this point, while Severus’s expression had turned thunderous.  Albus trembled in his chair where he had landed, and avoided eye contact with his two most trusted advisors.  “I had no idea it was that bad.”

            “You mean you knew that they were hurting him?” Severus whispered.  That was more terrifying than the yelling, and Albus knew he had to tread carefully.

            “I knew that they weren’t the kindest people in the world, but I thought they would at least take care of the boy.”

            Severus whipped out his wand, ready to kill the man he had looked up to and trusted, but Minerva grabbed his arm.  “Severus!  He’s not worth it.”  Minerva turned to the Headmaster.  “As of now, we are conducting a formal investigation into the life of Harry Potter.  It’s a miracle he’s not an obscurial after what we just witnessed.  We would like to see the Potters’ will.”

            Dumbledore mumbled something under his breath, turning his head to the side.  Minerva let go of Severus’s arm, and Dumbledore hurriedly sat up straight, his hands in the air placatingly.  “I never opened their will.  It’s sitting in their vault.  Because Lily died to protect Harry, he needed to stay with someone who shared his mother’s blood.  So, I sent him to live with Petunia so he would be safe.”

            Minerva glowered at the headmaster.  “We are going to go to Gringotts now.  If you try to stop us, we will not hesitate to kill you, Albus.  I hope for your sake, that you stay here in your office and play with your trinkets.”

            She scooped the memories back into the little bottle and shrunk the Pensieve, putting it into her pocket.  She marched over to the door, but hesitated in the doorway.  “I thought you should know, we are also looking into the supposed guilt of Sirius Black, since he was never given a trial.  He is Harry’s godfather, after all, and if he is innocent, then that boy needs all of the affection he can get.  Do not stand in our way.”

            With that, she was gone, followed closely by Severus Snape.  Minerva McGonagall tried to cast a Patronus Charm to send a message to her fellow Heads of Houses, but was far too angry to even think of a happy memory.

            “I have some parchment.  We can just charm them to go wake up Pomona and Filius.  I assume you want them to keep an eye on our students?” Severus said quietly.  He knew that neither of them were capable of casting a Patronus at the moment.

            Minerva nodded and scribbled out a note before duplicating it and sending it off.  “Let’s go to Gringotts.”

            The two teachers arrived not long after ten o’clock, just before the bank was about to close.  Minerva approached the desk of the goblin in charge of the evening shift.  “We would like to speak to the goblin entrusted with the Potter estate immediately.  It is a matter of utmost importance.”

            The goblin bowed and rang a bell on his desk.  A second goblin walked out from a door nearby, and approached the two adults.  “What can I do for you today?”

            “We need access to the Potters’ will,” Minerva ordered.

            “Now, madame, I can’t let just anyone have access to the Potter vault.  You need to have permission from Albus Dumbledore or have the key,” the goblin said.

            Minerva took the Pensieve from her pocket and dumped the memories back in as well as adding her own memory of their conversation with Dumbledore, indicating that the goblin should view them.  He did, and when he came out several minutes later, he was shaking.  “That is all the permission I need.  This is obviously a case of gross negligence.  My name is Griphook.  If you’ll follow me.”  The goblin led them to one of the carts and took them deep into Gringotts.

            Once the vault was opened, Minerva immediately walked in, searching for the most important document in Harry’s life at the moment.  She spotted it in the corner and walked around the piles of galleons to the yellowed parchment.

            _This is the last will and testament of James Fleamont Potter and Lily Evans Potter.  We hereby declare, that upon our death, all of our possessions, including the money in our vault at Gringotts, the various properties owned by the Potters, and our personal possessions are to be left to our son Hari James Potter.  If he is not of age at the time, then custody of our son and all we possess will be given to the following people in order:_

  * _Sirius Black, who is Hari’s godfather. It is also to be noted that he was not our Secret Keeper, but switched to Peter Pettigrew at the last moment instead.  It is also assumed that Remus Lupin will be involved with raising Hari._
  * _Molly and Arthur Weasley_
  * _Joint custody between Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape (whom we hope has changed his opinions by this point)._
  * _It is to be noted that Hari is, under no circumstances, allowed to go to Lily’s sister and her husband. We don’t trust them to take care of our son._



_These are the last wishes of the Potters._

_Signed:_

_James Fleamont Potter_

_Lily Evans Potter_

_Witnessed:_

_Sirius Orion Black_

_Griphook_

_Florean Fortescue_

McGonagall read the will through, and then read it again before handing it to Severus Snape to read.  She was in shock, and therefore, it took her a moment before she realized that there was a letter that had been underneath the will addressed to Harry.  She picked it up carefully.

            “Black is innocent,” Severus breathed out next to her.

            “And I will work tirelessly to prove it.  I don’t care if it takes months or years, I will help Sirius get released from Azkaban,” McGonagall said.  She turned to her colleague.  “They left this letter for Harry.  Will you make sure you give it to him?  I’m going to send a letter and then go pay a long overdue visit to Azkaban.”

            Severus nodded and took the envelope gently.  He took out the phials of Veritaserum and handed them to Minerva before pocketing the letter.  The professor was shocked.  He knew that Lily still cared for him.  James had sent him an invitation to their wedding, stating that it would mean the world to Lily if he would come.  Unfortunately, Severus’s pride had caused him to refuse, and he never saw either of the Potters again.  The fact that they would still entrust their son with him, astounded him.

            “Come Severus.  You need to get back to Hogwarts.”  Minerva took him by the arm and led him out of the vault and back into the cart.  He was quiet all the way back to the entry hall of Gringotts, barely paying attention when Minerva instructed Griphook to cease all funds Dumbledore had used for the care of Harry Potter.

            Minerva watched her colleague carefully.  She had known all about the falling out between Severus and Lily, since Lily had come to her crying.  She had also given the boys far too many detentions for their pranks on Severus.  So, she had a good idea what he was thinking about.  “Listen, we will honor their wishes and make sure that Harry is well taken care of from now on.  We will do everything in our power to make sure he feels loved.”

            Severus nodded at her briefly before apparating.  Minerva looked up and down Diagon Alley before locating the 24-hour owl service and post office.  She marched up to the desk and bought a parchment and quill.  She quickly scribbled a note before rolling it up and tying it to the leg of an owl.  She sent that one off, and was ready to apparate to the Ministry of Magic before another thought occurred to her.  She got a second parchment and, this time, wrote a letter to Harry, knowing that he was most likely not going to receive any mail.  He would be absolutely thrilled at the prospect of owl-mail.

            The stern-looking woman then spun on her heal and disappeared.

            Not far away, a shabby man was awoken by an insistent tapping on his window.  He quickly stood up and opened the window for the owl to swoop in.  He fed the owl, and slipped a couple knuts into the pouch on its leg before grabbing the parchment and unrolling it.  It barely took a minute to read, before the man quickly dressed into equally shabby robes and grabbed his wand.  He was packed in less time than it took him to read the note and he left his small apartment.

            The parchment lay open on his counter and read:

            _**Remus,**_

_**Harry is at Hogwarts.  He was raised by the Dursleys and is in bad shape.  I need you to substitute in my classes for the next month or so.  I’m going to be fighting for his custody as well as helping an old friend of ours prove his innocence.  Severus will fill you in on all the details.** _

_**Sirius is innocent!  He’s going to come home soon.  I’ll make sure of it.** _

_**Minerva** _


	3. Moony and Padfoot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter Remus and Sirius into the story. Also, Harry meets his fellow Slytherins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave your love for the story. I enjoyed writing it, you should enjoy reading it.

It took most of the next day for Minerva McGonagall to receive permission to visit one Sirius Black in Azkaban.  The island was dismal and cold, with a perpetual rainstorm beating down on the building.  When she arrived, she spent an hour going through the various checkpoints and proving the importance of her visit.  Sirius, after all, was a high-profile prisoner and hadn’t received a single visitor in the ten years he had been imprisoned.

            Finally, she was led to a small room with a simple chair and chains placed in the middle and a comfier chair placed about five feet away.  She sat in the one that was for visitors and waited patiently for the dementors to bring Sirius to the visiting room.

            Sirius, for his part, was highly confused when the dementors dragged him from his cell.  Evidently, they were going to administer the kiss to him, but he hadn’t been made aware of the order, as was the law.  _Well, I wasn’t given a trial either, and that is also the law.  I guess for the mass murderer Sirius Black, laws don’t apply to him_ , he thought bitterly.

            And so, he was extremely surprised when he was pushed into a room and sat down in the chair in the middle.  He was even more surprised when the dementors left the room.

            Minerva felt her heart crack into hundreds of pieces at the sight of Sirius Black.  While he was full of life and a very handsome young man as a youth, now, he looked more like a skeleton and his eyes were lifeless.  And he was completely innocent.  She stood up and moved slowly towards Sirius, not wanting to scare him.

            “Minnie?  Is that you?” he mumbled, as if not really believing his eyes.

            “Oh, Sirius.  I’m so sorry.”  In a rare show of affection, Minerva wrapped her arms awkwardly around the young man’s shoulders, hugging him tight.  “I wish I would have done something all those years ago.”

            “What do you mean?” Sirius asked after he recovered from the first human contact he’d had in nearly a decade.

            “I’m here to get you out.  I know you’re innocent, Sirius, and I’m going to prove it.”

            And so, Sirius received the second surprise of the day.  Not one person had believed him when he had said he would never betray James and Lily.  And now, here was his favorite teacher claiming that she was going to help him.  There was no way his life was turning around.

            “Sirius, I need you to promise me that you won’t try to break out of here while I’m working on getting you free.”

            “Azkaban is inescapable, Minnie.  You know this.”

            Minerva leveled her best teacher stare at her former student.  “Do you really think I didn’t know that you three became Animagi in your fifth year?  I know that dementors don’t affect animals the same way they do humans.  That’s probably why you’re still sane.”

            “We never could pull one over on you, Minnie.  I promise that I won’t try to escape.  Now tell me, how’s Harry doing?  This should be his first year at Hogwarts, right?”  
            McGonagall felt her heart drop.  This was going to be the hard part of their conversation, although none of it was going to be easy.  “That’s actually what brought me here.  Sirius, you won’t like what I tell you.”

            Sirius’s face fell, but he remained determined.  He had missed out on a decade of his godson’s life.  Even if it wasn’t pretty, he wanted to know everything about Harry.

            “When James and Lily died, Hagrid took Harry from you and delivered him to Dumbledore, as I’m sure you remember.  Dumbledore then placed Harry in the care of the Dursleys.”

            “WHAT!  JAMES AND LILY SPECIFICALLY SAID THEY WERE NOT TO TAKE HIM!” Sirius exploded.

            Minerva slid her chair closer to Sirius and placed a comforting hand on his arm.  “We know that now, but Dumbledore never opened their will.  He left it in their vault.  It wasn’t until Harry came to Hogwarts that we suspected something was wrong.  I should probably show you, rather than tell you.  But remember, you promised you wouldn’t escape.  Severus and Remus are going to take care of Harry while we are working on your case.”

            Taking the Pensieve out of her pocket once more, she helped Sirius stick his finger into the bowl before following him in.  The second time watching the horrible memories was far worse, and this time, she had to focus on comforting Black who stood in shock next to her.  When they got to the memory of young Harry gardening, she pointed out the blood coming from his ears.  “This is when, I assume, he goes deaf,” she said quietly.  She then turned her face away, unable to watch the awful beating that followed.

            When they returned to the visitor’s room, both adults were crying.  “How could Dumbledore do that to Harry?  Wasn’t he keeping an eye on him?” Sirius asked through his sobs.

            “I don’t pretend to understand Dumbledore’s reasoning, but I asked Harry for his permission to use these memories in the case to win custody of him.  I’m also hoping to use this to prove that Albus is an incompetent fool so he will no longer be Headmaster.  If he was this careless with the most important child in the wizarding world, then I don’t want to know what he would do with the other children.”

            Minerva conjured a scroll and quill, charming them to write down everything that was said.

            “Now, I need you to tell me everything you know about the night that James and Lily died.  And, in order to make sure that it is the truth, would you consent to drinking this Veritaserum?”

            “I agree to drink Veritaserum,” Sirius said for the scroll and tilted his head back so it was easier for Minerva to pour the potion down his throat.

            “I’m going to ask you a few questions to verify that the potion is working.  Is your name Sirius Orion Black?”

            “Yes,” Sirius said simply.

            “What house were you sorted into at Hogwarts?”

            “Gryffindor.”

            “What was the prank that you and your friends pulled in your third year?”

            “James and Remus charmed the paintings in the castle to sing Elvis Presley songs while Peter and I slipped Polyjuice potion into the pumpkin juice.  They all turned into me.”

            Minerva couldn’t help but smile at the memory.  It was one of the more brilliant pranks they had pulled, and she often used the image of hundreds of Sirius Blacks running around the Great Hall for her Patronus.

            “I, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts and Head of Gryffindor House, verify that all of the above statements are true.  Now, Sirius, tell me what happened the night James and Lily died.”

            Through all of the previous questions, Sirius’s face had remained a blank slate.  However, it now turned sorrowful, full of pain and anguish.  “When James and Lily were about to enact the Fidelias Charm, they came to me to be their Secret Keeper.  At first, I thought it was the smart thing to do, and I almost said yes.  But then, I realized that when the Death Eaters come for them, I was going to be their first choice.  I suggested that they take Peter as their Secret Keeper instead, as an added precaution.  When the Death Eaters capture me, Peter would have an early warning that he needed to hide.  They agreed and Peter became their Secret Keeper.

            “The night of Halloween, I had just gotten home from a mission for the Order of the Phoenix, and I checked in on Peter.  His apartment was bare, and looked like it hadn’t been lived in in a long time.  I became suspicious.  I apparated to Godric’s Hollow, praying that it wasn’t too late, but when I got there, the house was already in ruins.  I could see the house, which meant the Fidelias Charm had been broken and James and Lily were dead.

            “I climbed through the debris, passing my best friend on the stairs, and following the crying I could hear.  Lily was lying on the ground in front of Harry’s crib and I had to step over her to reach him.  I grabbed some of his blankets and bundled Harry, covering his face so he couldn’t see his parent’s bodies.  When I got outside, Hagrid was waiting to take Harry to Dumbledore.  I wasn’t thinking properly and thought that Dumbledore would be able to take care of a baby better than I could at the moment.  I offered Hagrid my motorcycle to use, and went to search for Peter.

“I found him in the middle of a muggle street and cornered him.  I asked him how he could betray James and Lily, but he didn’t answer.  Instead he cowered in fear.  I was about to call the Aurors when Peter fired a curse at the street behind me.  He cut off his finger and turned into a rat before crawling into the sewer.

“The Aurors came at that point, and arrested me.  I was too mad with grief to do anything more than laugh hysterically.  They took me away to Azkaban without a trial.”

Sirius fell silent at that point and Minerva had to take a few minutes to compose herself.  Then she forced herself to ask the next question.  “How did Peter turn into a rat?”

“When we were fifteen years old, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, and myself all became Animagi to accompany our friend Remus Lupin on the full moons.  We discovered that werewolves were only violent towards humans, and that, as an Animagus, we could accompany him and prevent him from tearing into his own skin.  I turn into a dog, James turned into a stag, and Peter turned into a rat.”

“Is there anything else we need to know?”

“I have never worked with Voldemort.  I actively fought against him.  I knew there was a traitor in the order, but I suspected Remus, since he was gone all the time and refused to tell us where he had been.  I regret suspecting him.  Remus is the most trustworthy person I know besides Professor McGonagall, and is perfectly harmless thirty out of thirty-one days.”

“Thank you, Sirius, for your willingness to participate in this interview.”  Minerva stopped the quill and rolled up the parchment.  She then pulled the antidote to Veritaserum from her other pocket that she had grabbed before leaving Hogwarts and poured it into Sirius’s mouth.

He slumped over in the chair for a few moments before straightening back up.  “I can’t thank you enough, Minnie, for believing me.  I just wish I knew where Peter was so he could be punished for his crimes.”

“Sirius, I will get you out of here.  I promise.  If, for some reason, the Wizengamot declares you guilty still, I will personally help you break out of Azkaban.”  Minerva stood up and moved the chair she was sitting in back to where it had been sitting originally.  “Now, I must get back to the Ministry.  I have an appointment with Head Auror Amelia Bones.  I’m sure I will see you again, very soon, Sirius.”

“Good-bye Minnie.  And tell Harry that I love him and can’t wait to see him again.”

Minerva left Azkaban shortly after, filled with purpose after hearing the truth from Sirius Black.  Mentally, she made a list of things that would help prove Sirius’s innocence.  There was the Veritaserum confession, the Potters’ will, and they could use Priori Incantatem on Sirius’s wand, since it was impounded immediately after he was arrested.  The last spell, if he was guilty, would have been the curse that blew up the street.  ‘Yes,’ she thought, ‘this is going to work.’

 

Harry woke up from a long, sleepless night in the hospital wing.  It had been rather miserable, trying to sleep on his side without aggravating his bruises and road rash.  The potions and bandages that Madame Pomfrey had placed on his injuries were rather itchy and he was eager to get rid of them.  Harry noticed that the Healer was nowhere to be seen, and he figured, if he snuck out now, he would still have time to get to his dormitory and make it to his first day of classes.  He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and hopped off.  He had made it barely ten feet to the door before the door to Madame Pomfrey’s office swung open.

“Oh good.  You’re awake.  It’s time for you to take some potions that will help you gain some weight.  You need some meat on your bones; you’re far too skinny.  Now, get back in that bed, young man.  The only time you are to leave that bed for the next week is to use the bathroom.”

“Madame Pomfrey, what about classes?”

“Oh, don’t worry dear.  After you fell asleep last night, Professor Snape came in and spoke to me.  He said that you are excused from your classes and that Professor McGonagall is going to be staying in London for the time being.  They are making sure that you are going to go to a home where you will be treated well and loved.  Now, drink this potion.”

Harry barely gagged down the potion before the doors to the hospital wing burst open.  Ron, Hermione, and Neville came running through, frantically looking around the room before spotting Harry.

“Oh, thank goodness you’re alright.  I was so worried when you didn’t come back from speaking to Professor Snape.  He told me this morning, that you were here.  How are you feeling?” Ron asked quickly, forgetting that Harry had to read his lips.  Thankfully, he was quite talented at reading lips, since none of the Dursleys ever slowed down for him.

“I’m feeling fine.  Madame Pomfrey is just making me stay here for a while.  I got some injuries before I came to Hogwarts, and she feels that a week is necessary for me to heal completely.”

Hermione sat on the bed next to Harry and began to sign.  **I really hope you are feeling well, and not just saying you’re fine.  But I promise to take good notes for you, so you don’t get behind in your homework.**

Harry looked at her in shock.  **You know how to sign?**

**I had a friend that was deaf.  That’s how I knew you were deaf.  I learned a long time ago, so I’m a little rusty.  It’s nice to practice again.**   Hermione smiled at her friend.

Harry, for his part, was practically beaming.  It was nice to have someone practice BSL with.  He had learned with one of his neighbors, but he hadn’t seen Mr. Sable in a while.

Madame Pomfrey glared at the students, but decided to let them stay a few minutes longer.  Instead of kicking them out, she simply handed Harry another potion to drink.

“Blech, this one tastes worse than the last one.”

“Well, this one is even more important as it will help fix your old broken bones.”  She turned back to her office to give the children a few moments of privacy.

Neville spoke up, “I wish you were coming to classes today, Harry.  Slytherin and Gryffindor share Potions and Transfiguration today.  But I’ll take notes for you if you’d like.”

“Thanks Neville.  Hermione offered as well, but I figure it won’t hurt to have multiple sets in case someone forgets something.  Not to mention, I imagine it will get quite boring in here.  Having two sets of notes to read will help with that boredom.”

Neville gave him a smile, and was about to say something when Madame Pomfrey came out of her office.  “You children need to go eat breakfast, while I take care of Harry.  Enjoy your first day of classes.  Visiting hours are from four to six and there can only be three people at a time.”

Not long after his friends left, an owl tapped at the hospital wing window, though Harry was unaware of it.  Madame Pomfrey opened the window, and the owl swooped in, landing on the bed in front of Harry, startling him out of his thoughts.  “What’s this owl doing here?” he asked.

“It looks like you’ve got a letter, dear,” Madame Pomfrey answered before untying the parchment and placing a couple knuts in the pouch on the owl’s leg.

Harry eagerly unrolled the parchment and began to read.

_**Harry, dear,** _

_**I thought you might like receiving some mail this morning.  I’m working to prove the innocence of Sirius Black, who is your godfather.  He was accused of betraying your parents, but I discovered that he was imprisoned falsely.  I’m sorry I won’t be there for your first Transfiguration lesson, but I promise that I will come and visit you to see how you are faring.  I hope you start feeling well soon.** _

_**Aunt Minnie** _

_**PS The substitute I got is an old friend of your parents.  In another lifetime, you would have known him as Uncle Moony.** _

_**Also, your father and godfather insisted that you would know me as your Aunt Minnie.  I thought you might like to know that.** _

Harry read through the letter again and again, eagerly drinking in the news that he had a godfather and an uncle that was a close friend of his parents.  He also tried out the name “Aunt Minnie” and found that he liked it a great deal more than Professor McGonagall.  He kept the letter near him and would read it over again for the next hour or so, content with basking in the warmth he felt from the knowledge that someone cared about his well-being.  It wasn’t long, though, before he began to feel his boredom set in.

Madame Pomfrey was kind enough to bring Harry some of the books she kept in her office and by the time visiting hours started, Harry had almost finished reading _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi._

The door to the hospital wing opened, catching Harry’s attention, and to his surprise, Professor Snape came through the door.

“How are you doing today, Harry?” he asked.

“Very well, thank you,” Harry responded.

At this statement, Madame Pomfrey, who was busy straightening Harry’s sheets, scoffed.  “He says he’s fine, but the poor boy has three bones that are resetting themselves, and a nasty infection on his back.  He is far from fine.”

Severus furrowed his brow, but figured there was nothing he could do right then about Harry’s insistence that he was feeling well.  Instead, he turned to the young boy.  “Minerva and I found something that belongs to you, last night.  It’s a letter from your mother.”  He handed the envelope over to Harry.  “Now, before you read it, I want you to tell me about what you did today.”

Harry smiled at his head of house and told him all about the different herbs and fungi he had learned about.  “A bezoar is a stone found in the stomach of a goat and, amazingly enough, is known to cure most poisons.  I wonder how they were able to test that.  Did they have a team of wizards that tested different poisons, and if the bezoar worked than it’s great, and if not, oh well?”

“I can honestly say I never thought of that.  But many lives have been saved because of that research, so I can’t say I’m too sorry about that,” Snape responded to the question, amusement written on his face.

Madame Pomfrey let out a chuckle.  She made sure her face was in Harry’s line of sight as she said, “He’s been asking me questions like that all day.  Got to the point, I was tempted to give him a sleeping potion so he would rest.”  She threw the boy a wink as she said this, that way he would know that she wasn’t really serious.  “He’s a very curious child, and will make an excellent student, I expect.”

Severus let a small smile appear on his face, purely because Harry was looking at him.  The boy grinned back and the potions master felt his heart squeeze a little in response.  It was a sensation he hadn’t felt in a long, long time.

The hospital doors opened again, and Harry’s three friends tumbled through, eager to see how Harry was doing.  They chatted together for several minutes, Ron and Neville eagerly telling their friend all about the classes they went to.  Hermione, however, stepped up to Professor Snape.

“Professor, I was wondering if you would duplicate these notes for Harry.  I could learn how, but I would rather spend time with him than spend the hours it would take to copy down the notes.  Harry doesn’t want to fall behind, since he is missing the first week of classes.”

Professor Snape was highly impressed with this young witch.  “I would be glad to, Miss Granger.  And five points to Slytherin for coming up with such a clever solution.”

He waved his wand and Hermione was suddenly holding two copies of her notes.  “The incantation that works best with small scale duplications is _Gemini_.  I’m sure if you practice, you’ll master that spell in no time.”

“Thank you, Professor,” Hermione said with a smile.  She skipped back over to the bed and gave Harry the copy of her notes.  She then turned to Madame Pomfrey.  “Excuse me, I know you said only three visitors are allowed, but Harry hasn’t met the other first-year Slytherins yet.  They are outside the door and want to come meet Harry.  Is it alright if we bring everyone in for a few minutes?”

Madame Pomfrey looked at her patient, and hesitated for a few minutes.  He really needed to get some rest, but she also knew that he would love meeting the children he would be living with for the next seven years.  Reluctantly she nodded.  “You have five minutes.”

Hermione beamed and opened the doors, gesturing the other Slytherins inside.  She led them over to Harry’s bed.  She waved her arm to get his attention and then signed:  **These are the other Slytherins in our year.  They wanted to introduce themselves to you.**

Harry eagerly watched as the different student introduced themselves (with Hermione finger spelling the names).  There were five other boys in their dorm:  Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, and Blaise Zabini.  There weren’t nearly as many girls as there were boys, but Harry learned their names just as eagerly.  Pansy Parkinson had barely said her name before she announced to the whole room that Harry was a precious child and she would gladly fight anyone who hurt him.  Harry blushed at this while Millicent Bullstrode and Daphne Greengrass tried to quiet their friend.

“I’m glad that I got to meet you all.  I really hope that we all become good friends,” Harry said.

Draco Malfoy pushed to the front of the group, immediately drawing Harry’s eyes to him.  “Look, Potter, I’m sorry I was so rude to you on the train yesterday and in Madame Malkins.  I didn’t realize you couldn’t hear me, and I thought you were ignoring me.  I would like to start over,” he said as he held out his hand to Harry.

Harry gripped the hand offered to him and shook it firmly.  “I’d like that.  And please, call me Harry.”

Draco nodded, pleased with himself before the entire group of Slytherins were pushed out of the hospital wing by Madame Pomfrey.  “He needs rest, and with this many visitors, you’re more likely to wear him out.”  She turned to Hermione, Neville, and Ron, placing her hands on her hips in a way that reminded Ron distinctly of his mother.  “You three should leave too.  I don’t want all of this excitement to upset Harry.  You can come back later.”

They hurried out, making sure that they said good-bye to Harry with promises to bring him his school books the next morning before classes.  Severus watched the interactions between his wards and smiled to himself.  They would be all right.

Harry was exhausted, and felt himself slipping off into a deep sleep, eager to rest after the excitement and boredom of the day.  He had forgotten all about the letter Severus had given him, and the potions master moved it to the bedside table where Harry could find it when he woke up.

He was about to leave as well, when the hospital wing doors opened once more, this time, letting in Remus Lupin.  Madame Pomfrey looked up, ready to tell off whoever was coming in, but her features immediately softened at the sight of her old patient.

“Oh Remus.  How good to see you again.  I presume you’re here to see Harry?” she said as she pulled the man into an embrace.  He returned the gesture warmly before stepping back.

“Well, yes, I am here to see Harry.  But I also wanted to let you know that Minerva asked me to be her substitute for the time being.  She’s going to be in London for a while, working on Sirius Black’s case, as well as gaining custody of Harry.  I figured you should know that you have a werewolf back at Hogwarts.”

“Dear, you know I’m always glad to see you.  And while you might have lycanthropy, you are not defined by that trait.  Right now, you are a professor here at Hogwarts, and I am very proud of you.”  She took in the sight of the drabby robes he was wearing that hung loosely on his thin frame.  “You look like you need several good meals.  But you said you were here to see Harry.  He’s right over here.  The poor dear has such a high pain tolerance, he doesn’t even realize how unwell he is.”

She led him over to the bed that Harry was lying in, sound asleep.  She pulled up a chair for Remus before scurrying off to her office to brew some potions for her patient.  Remus sat down and stared at the child.  Severus sat down in the chair opposite of Lupin.

“He looks just like James did when he was that age,” Remus said softly.

“He has his mother’s eyes though.  Bright green and able to guilt you into doing anything,” Snape responded.

Remus pulled his eyes away from the child and looked at the potions master.  “I understand I have you to thank for recognizing his abuse.  You and Minerva.  I want to thank you, and let you know if you ever need anything at all, don’t hesitate to ask.”

Snape let out a wry chuckle.  “I never thought I would ever hear a friend of James Potter say that to me.”

Remus let out a full-bellied laugh.  “I’m sure James is rolling over in his grave at this very moment.”  He spent a few minutes chuckling quietly to himself, thinking of times long gone before he turned back to Severus.  “In all honesty, though, he would probably be saying the same thing.  James loved Harry with all of his heart.  And you are caring for his son when he isn’t able to.  James may not have liked you in school, but now, I’m sure he would gladly accept you as a friend of the Potters.”

Snape wasn’t sure what to say to that, and neither men knew that, beyond the veil, James was nodding vehemently.  “I take back every horrible thing I ever said about Severus.  He is the best thing to have happened to Harry in years.” 

Lily simply put her arms around her husband.  “I told you that all throughout school, you toerag.”  Both parents had been crying desperately for someone, anyone to notice what was happening to their child and were finally relieved that he was safe at Hogwarts with Minnie, Severus, Poppy, and Remus looking out for him.

Remus, for his part, had been observing Harry for several minutes, noting that he was far too small for a child of eleven years old.  He also noticed that there were several scars on his skinny arms that looked suspiciously like the end of a cigar.  “Severus, can you tell me what happened?  Why Harry was sent to the Dursleys?”

Severus let out a feral snarl.  “Albus Dumbledore refused to open their will, and sent Harry to live with his only living relatives.  He said that because Lily died to protect Harry, he had to live with the only person who had her blood or some other nonsense.  Minerva and I confronted him last night, and he claimed to have had no knowledge of Harry’s abuse.”

He put his head in his hands before speaking quietly.  “I was abused as a child, and when I became a professor, I vowed to help any student that showed the signs of abuse.  Had I known that Harry was sent to the Dursleys, I would have taken him from that horrible place.”

Remus watched the professor quietly, taking in his pain and his sincerity.  “How bad was it?”

            “Minerva sent me the Pensieve that she took with her this afternoon.  We collected Harry’s memories last night, and used them to gain access to the Potter vault.  If you want to, you can watch them.  Harry’s already agreed to let you see them.”  Snape pulled the shrunken Pensieve from his pocket and emptied Harry’s memories into the basin.  “Just to warn you though, it’s horrible.  You were much closer to James and Lily than I was.  Watching these memories will hurt.”

            Remus nodded, accepting the warning before tumbling into the memories.  He watched Petunia hit the boy with a hot pan, and he resisted the urge to scoop the crying Harry off of the ground.  These were memories, and Remus couldn’t do anything to make them better.  The more scenes he watched, the more his heart broke for the little boy he had loved so dearly all those years ago.

            It was awful watching Vernon beat the boy to within an inch of his life, and it was worse knowing that Harry was deaf at the time.  He was seven years old and had been forced to live through a worse life than any Remus had ever seen.  As much as he didn’t want to, he forced himself to keep watching, needing to know everything about Harry’s life with the Dursleys.  He witnessed them locking him in a tiny cupboard, refusing to let him out to eat.  He watched Harry walking on an obviously broken leg, trying to avoid the almost casual way Vernon tried to hit him.  He saw the Dursleys throw a boy far too little for his age on the pavement before nearly hitting him with their car.

            Thankfully, he also had the satisfaction of watching the conversation between Minerva, Severus, and Albus.  It was rather satisfying to watch Severus threaten to kill the Headmaster and Minerva’s barely bridled rage.  He had spent enough time getting into trouble during his Hogwarts years to recognize when Minnie Mc-G was about to explode.

            The memories ended and Remus landed back on the chair beside Harry’s bed.  He couldn’t help but smooth Harry’s hair back from his head, needing the comfort that Harry was safe and would be okay.  Severus watched this through lidded eyes.

            “I would give anything to go back in time and take Harry in with me.  I may not have had much, but he would have at least been loved.  What those monsters did to him is sickening,” Remus said quietly.

            “As would I.  But we have to focus on the present.  Harry is safe, he’s here, and we won’t let him go back to those horrible people,” Severus said, equally as quiet.  Harry was unable to hear them, and so wouldn’t be awoken by a loud trumpet being played in his ear, but the situation seemed to call for quiet voices.

            “Severus, I can tell how much you love the boy already.  I want you to know that, regardless of the outcome of Sirius’s trial, we won’t try to take him away from you.  From what I’ve heard from his friends, Harry likes you, and will probably want you around.  Besides, he needs all of the love and affection he can get.”

            “I do appreciate it, Lupin.  He is a sweet boy, with a temperament more like Lily than his father, but that might be the years of abuse that forced him to suppress his mischievous side.  He has already made some solid friendships, but he also needs parental figures.  Besides, I do believe he would like to meet you, and Black.”

            “Severus, I know we didn’t get along in school, and that you were the victim of a great many of our pranks, but for the sake of Harry, can we call a truce?  You call me Remus, I call you Severus, and we act like civilized adults,” Remus said as he held his hand out for the potions master to shake.

            Snape, on his part, only hesitated a second before realizing that it would be better for Harry if all the adults in his life got along, and he took the proffered hand.  “Agreed, Remus.  And if you’d like, I would be willing to brew the Wolfsbane potion for you.”

            “Thank you.  I appreciate the offer.”

            The two men stood up, deciding that they should head down to dinner and leave the young Harry Potter to sleep, figuring that they would see him soon.  Remus looked back once, at the door, and whispered quietly, “We’ll take care of you, cub.  I promise.”


	4. Articles and Letters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry reads a letter from his mother, there's an article in the Daily Prophet, and he attends his first classes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a reminder, I do not own Harry Potter. But if you're reading on a fanfiction website, you know that none of us own any of the content we write about. Leave comments! :)

             Harry slept peacefully the entire night, waking up bright and early.  He sat up and stretched, grabbing his glasses from the bedside table.  He noticed that there was a letter underneath them and snatched it up.  On the outside, it had his name on it, written in a bold hand.  He remembered that Professor Snape had said his mother wrote it for him.  Harry carefully opened the envelope, sliding out the single sheet of parchment paper.  It was written in a bright, sparkly purple pen, which seemed to match the handwriting.

 

_**My Deer Hari,** _

_**I am so sorry I started the letter off like that.  James insisted.  You must be tired of hearing all the deer jokes he makes by now.  I hope that you are reading this when you are much older, but if not, I’m so sorry.  Your father and I love you very much, and we wish we could have spent more time with you.  Hopefully your Uncles Padfoot and Moony are treating you with all the love, I know they possess.** _

_**Today, was your birthday, and we invited all of our friends to come celebrate with us.  Padfoot gave you a toy broom, and he and James are so proud.  James says you’ll be the youngest Quidditch player in the world, and that you’ll be even better than he was.  Don’t tell him I said this, but your father is the best Quidditch player I’ve ever seen.** _

_**Moony came by later, and you curled up on him, falling asleep within minutes.  There’s something about Moony that you must like, because you only ever stop crying for him.  I can’t tell you how many times your father and I had to call Remus late at night to get you stop crying.  He loves you so much.  Sometimes, I think you’re the only thing that can make him smile any more.** _

_**As I’m sure you know, we are living in a time of war, and it’s dangerous.  There is little to smile and laugh about, but you are the bright spot in our lives, Hari.  You are the reason why all of us keep fighting against Voldemort.  We want you to grow up safe and happy, surrounding by your family.  If that doesn’t happen, then I am so sorry.  We tried to stay with you.** _

_**You’re probably reading this and laughing about how I’m just as dramatic as Sirius, and you’re probably right.  But if we weren’t able to raise you like we had hoped, then here’s a few things we want you to know.** _

  * _**James wants you to know that Filch confiscated a map of Hogwarts that shows where everyone is at all times. He seems to think that you will be just as much of a trouble-maker as he was in school.**_
  * _**If you’re having a bad day, your Aunt Minnie is always willing to give you a biscuit. She loved all of us dearly, and if you want stories about your parents from our Hogwarts days, she’s the best person to ask.**_
  * _**We love listening to AC/DC, Queen, and Journey. But you loved listening to Sirius play the piano more than anything.**_
  * _**We aren’t sure, but we believe that you have powers that most wizards can’t imagine. You’re one year old today, and you are already showing signs of accidental magic.  Most children don’t start showing those signs until they are six or seven.  I’m sure you’ll do wonderful things when you’re older.**_
  * _**You are a Parselmouth. James is descended from the Peverells, and says there hasn’t been a Parselmouth in his family in a couple centuries.  We got you a pet snake, named Nagini, and you loved her with all your heart.  You also loved our ginger kneazle, Crookshanks.  I hope you still have both of your pets, but if not, I’m sure they’ll find you.**_
  * _**If, for some reason, you end up living with the Dursleys, they probably anglicized your name to Harry. You were born Hari, which is Sanskrit for lion.  James’s mother was from India, which means you are part Indian.  I, however, am definitely English.**_
  * _**James likes to call you Prongslet or fawn. (I told you he likes to make deer jokes).  Sirius likes to call you pup, while Remus prefers cub.  To me, you’ll always be my little Hari.  Peter, of course, calls you James II, which I think is rather ridiculous.**_



_**I think that’s everything.  Although, I hope you know most of this already, but it never hurts to be prepared.  We are so proud of you, and we are sure you will become a great man, and will do so much good in the world.  Remember, we love you so much.** _

_**Love,** _

_**Lily** _

_**PS I hope you become a Seeker.  You’ll do wonderfully, I’m sure.  And don’t let Sirius bully you into growing your hair out.  It’s not worth it.** _

_**Love,** _

_**James** _

 

          A small drop of water landed on the parchment, and with a start, Harry realized he was crying.  He had never known much about his parents, and to read a letter written to him, from his mother, it was a priceless gift.  “Don’t worry Mum.  I’ll make you proud,” Harry whispered.  He carefully wiped the tear from the parchment and placed it back in the envelope and setting it back on the bedside table.

           The rest of the week went by slowly.  Especially since Harry was itching to attend his classes.  He wanted to meet this elusive Uncle Moony that was teaching Transfiguration.  As luck would have it, every time Remus came to visit Harry, he was always asleep.  So, Remus had seen the boy, but Harry had yet to meet his parents’ friend.

           Madame Pomfrey had forced Harry to undergo several tests and spells to prove that he was, indeed, ready to handle school.  And so, Harry found himself skipping down to the Great Hall for breakfast, a scarf wound around his neck and his schoolbag charmed to be as light as a feather.  He headed for the Slytherin table, pausing briefly to greet Neville and sat down next to Draco.  (The Slytherins had visited him several times over the last week, and Draco had taken it upon himself to teach Harry all about the various games that wizards play.  Harry was delighted to find out that Dumbledore said Quidditch, not “wid-hitch”.)

          “Hi everyone!” Harry chirped.

          Immediately, he was bombarded by hugs from his fellow snakes, and he let out a giggle.  Pansy scooted over to him, and flung an arm around his shoulders.  “I’m so glad you’re finally out of the hospital wing, Harry.  Now you can see how incredible the castle is.”

          Harry laughed.  “I’ve already seen the castle, Pansy.  I just haven’t been able to tour it yet.  I’m likely to get lost on my way to our first lesson.”

          Blaise tapped Harry’s wrist to get his attention.  “You’re in luck, actually.  We have Potions today, which is near our common room.  So, unless you can get lost trying to find the dungeons, you’ll be fine.  Plus, you’ll have us to guide you.”

          “We go to class with the Gryffindors, right?” Harry asked.

          This time, Ron nudged Pansy to the side so he could hug his best friend.  “Yep, and Neville says he’s going to meet us outside of the Great Hall to walk with us.”

           “That’s great!” said Harry as he reached for a slice of toast and spread some marmalade on it.  He bit into it before pulling a face.  “I think someone messed with the marmalade.”

           Hermione let out a chuckle before signing to Harry.  **I think it’s because you just drank some orange juice.  Sweet things taste icky when you drink orange juice first.**   Harry ducked his head in response, a blush forming on his dark cheeks.

           “Whoops,” he said before taking another bite of toast.  He almost finished the whole slice before he began to feel queasy and set it down.  He figured he could try to eat more at lunch.

           Hermione got his attention again.  **We’ve been waiting to show you, but we have a surprise for you.**   She nodded to their fellow Slytherins and they all signed at once, **Hi Harry.**

           “You guys are learning BSL?  For me?” he asked, wonder in his voice.

           “Of course,” Pansy said, pulling a BSL for Beginners book out of her bookbag.  “We had to order them from Flourish and Blotts, but they got here last night, and Hermione showed us how to say hello.”

           “Wow, thank you all.  That means so much to me,” Harry said.

           Theodore spoke up, “We’re Slytherins.  We always stick together and protect each other.  We’re the least liked house at Hogwarts, so we need to make sure our friendships inside Slytherin are strong.  You’re one of us, and you aren’t going to get rid of us that easily.”

            Daphne put her hand on Harry’s shoulder and placed the Daily Prophet in front of him.  “I thought you should see this.  It’s the biggest headline since the Wolfsbane potion was invented.”

_**Sirius Black is Innocent?** _

_**Recent evidence has come to light to indicate that Sirius Black, suspected supporter of You-Know-Who and convicted Death Eater, was actually innocent of betraying James and Lily Potter and killing twelve muggles and Peter Pettigrew.  Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry said this: “I spoke to Sirius Black under the influence of Veritaserum, and he told me that he convinced James and Lily Potter to change Secret Keepers to their old friend Peter Pettigrew.  I also found the last will and testament of the Potters that confirmed that Sirius was telling the truth.  When he was imprisoned ten years ago, Sirius Black wasn’t given a trial, and was thrown into Azkaban immediately.  We need to rectify this gross injustice.”  Professor McGonagall is working with Head Auror Amelia Bones to ensure that Black is given a fair trial.  His godson, Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, is currently at Hogwarts in his first year.  See page 5 for more details on the original crime that landed Black in prison.** _

            Harry looked up from the paper, his eyes showing his concern.  “Isn’t it illegal to imprison someone without a fair trial?”

            Draco answered this question.  “Right after You-Know-Who’s downfall, a lot of Death Eaters were imprisoned without a trial.  The Ministry was kept really busy with arresting known supporters of You-Know-Who, determining who was being controlled, and who was innocent.  Since there were witnesses to Sirius Black’s crime, no one bothered giving him a trial.  Obviously, they were wrong.”

            Blaise added, “Well, I for one, wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of McGonagall’s wrath.  I’ve heard she’s terrifying when she is angry.”

            Those students that had parents or siblings attend Hogwarts laughed, knowing from those stories that the Transfiguration Professor was quite terrifying.  None of them wanted to get on her bad side.

            Hermione gathered up her things and packed them into her bookbag, ready to head off to classes.  “Come on, we don’t want to be late to Professor Snape’s class.  I wouldn’t want to see what he would give us for detention.”

            The merry band of Slytherins walked out of the Great Hall together, making sure to include Harry in their conversation so he wouldn’t feel left out.  Neville joined them, and the other Slytherins seemed to accept him as one of their own, which Harry was secretly grateful for.  He didn’t want his friends to be enemies, simply because they were in different houses.  They trooped down the stairs into the dungeon, ready for their first lesson of the day.

            Potions was not a disaster, as it could have been if Harry hadn’t already formed a bond with the potions master.  He was able to answer a few of the questions about the uses of various plants.  He and Hermione earned ten points for Slytherin by the end of the first lesson.  Though Harry had not been able to brew a potion during the first week of class, he was able to help the boy through the steps and making sure that his potion didn’t end up horrible.

            The same couldn’t be said for Seamus Finnigan, another Gryffindor first year.  Twelve minutes into the lesson and his potion exploded, covering him and his partner in a purple goo.  They were sent to the hospital immediately, and Snape was able to vanish the potion before it harmed anyone else.

            By the end of the lesson, Harry had perfectly brewed his simple cure for boils, and Neville’s was passable.  Ron had whispered to Harry before class that Snape was known to be particularly nasty, especially to Gryffindors, but Harry didn’t see him talk rudely to any of them.  He figured that Ron was wrong, and that Snape treated everyone with the same kindness and respect.

            Harry was wrong in this case, because Severus Snape used to be the worst Professor to any student that wasn’t in Slytherin.  He had recently had a change of heart, though, and it was all thanks to a small, bespectacled boy.

            The first years headed out to the Greenhouse with the Ravenclaws, spending time learning about the various magical plants that grew around the grounds of Hogwarts, paying particular attention to the rare ones.  Professor Sprout spent nearly a half an hour talking about the Whomping Willow that was planted near the edge of the Forbidden Forest.  Harry was thrilled at all of this new knowledge, and couldn’t wait to share what he had learned with Neville, who he knew loved plants.

            As excited as he was about Herbology, Harry was ten times so about Transfiguration.  He had heard a great deal about Professor Lupin from his friends, but had yet to meet him.  Harry was walking next to Hermione, on their way to the Transfiguration classroom, and he reached out to grab her hand.  She gave him a quick glance, but recognized that Harry had had a distinct lack of affection in his short life.  (They had all seen the various scars on his arms as the Slytherins visited him in the hospital wing, and they all had determined that he would not go back to that horrible family.  Some of them had even gone so far as to offer their homes during the summer for Harry to stay at.)  Rather than let go, Hermione tightened her grip on Harry’s hand and was rewarded with a beaming smile.  Pansy noticed this, and quickly looped her arm through his, dragging him with her as they skipped to their class.

            “Oh, I can’t wait for you to meet Professor Lupin.  He’s got a rugged look about him that makes him so attractive.  And he is amazing at teaching, you know.  First day, he challenged us to find five objects that couldn’t be transfigured, and the person that came up with the most original item would be given a Honeyduke’s Chocolate Bar.  Oh, and he is so polite and kind.  I noticed him giving one of the Ravenclaw third-years a piece of chocolate when he found her crying on the fourth floor.  I just wish he wasn’t a substitute,” Pansy prattled on about their next professor.

            “I think he actually came to visit you, Harry.  When I brought up my notes for you a few days ago, he was sitting by your bed while you were sleeping.  He said he was just checking up on you,” Hermione said.

            This piece of knowledge filled Harry with warmth.  His parents’ friend had come to see him, even if he hadn’t been awake at the time.  Uncle Moony still cared about him.

            When they arrived, the Slytherins all quickly grabbed the desks closest to the front of the room.  Harry sat closest to the window, with Hermione and Ron sharing the table with him and the three other Slytherin girls in front of them, and the rest of the boys sitting off to the side.  The Gryffindors came filing in, Neville sitting with Seamus and Dean behind Harry.

            Harry eagerly sat with his Transfiguration textbook open to the chapter they were covering that day.  He figured turning wood into metal wouldn’t be too difficult, but he also hadn’t learned any spells or wand movements.  Madame Pomfrey had a strict no magic policy in the hospital wing, especially since most of the students ended up there as a result of a spell gone wrong.  But Harry had read up on the theory, and understood it well enough that he figured the practical wouldn’t be too difficult.

            When Remus Lupin swept into the class, Harry immediately turned towards him, eager to begin the lesson.  With a wave of his wand, a set of glowing words appeared above Professor Lupin’s head, acting as subtitles so Harry could follow the lesson as well as the other students.  A huge grin appeared on Harry’s face, and Remus threw him a small smile.

            “Today we are going to continue working on turning matchsticks into needles.  As we discussed last class, the theory of transfiguration is much simpler than the application.  It takes practice and determination to make something change.  In other words, you have to want your matchstick to change into a needle.”  He waved his wand and a matchbox floated through the air to each table.  “If you have questions, feel free to ask.”

            Harry took the match Hermione handed him and looked in his textbook for the incantation that would make the wood turn into a needle.  This was, however, far more difficult than he realized, seeing as how he couldn’t hear how the spell was pronounced.  Hermione had told him about the story Professor Flitwick had shared; Wizard Baruffio had mispronounced a spell and ended up with a buffalo on his chest.

            He turned to Hermione, trying to work out how she was saying the spell, but she was in the middle of a heated argument with Ron about the proper wand movements.  Everyone else had their faces turned away from him, so he couldn’t see what they were saying.

            ‘Maybe I could try saying it in my head.  It might be a little easier that way,’ he thought to himself.  Harry pointed his wand at the matchstick and focused on it turning into a needle.  To his surprise and delight, he suddenly found himself in the possession of a perfect needle with a nice round eye at the top.

            He felt someone touch his shoulder and jumped.  Hermione signed to him:  **How did you do that?  I didn’t hear you say anything.**

            “Oh, I couldn’t figure out how to say the spell and so I just focused on the match turning into a needle.  It wasn’t that difficult, really.”

            **Harry, nonverbal magic is extremely advanced.  We won’t start learning that until our sixth-year.**

            “How do you say the spell then?  I don’t want to try something I’m not supposed to.”

            “Moo (like a cow), ta (like ta-ta), and shio (like ratio).  _Mutatio_ ,” Hermione said as she pointed her own wand at her matchstick.  It turned a silver color, but remained looking like a match.

            “Okay.  Like this?”  Harry pointed his wand at another matchstick and said, “ _Mutatio_.”  That match turned into a needle as perfect as the first.

            “How did you do that?  That’s two perfect needles in a row!” Hermione said, getting the attention of the Slytherin girls in front of them.

            “Harry, you were able to transfigure them on the first try?” Daphne asked.  “Mine hasn’t changed a bit.”

            “Well, it’s like Professor Lupin said, you have to want it to change.  Picture it in your head as you say the spell.  See it changing form.”

            Daphne turned back to her desk and Harry could see her point her wand in front of her.  A minute later, she turned back around, grinning widely and holding up her own needle.  “I did it.  Harry, you’re a genius.  I’ve been practicing this all week and couldn’t figure out how to do it.”

            It seemed as though the entire class jumped as one, and Harry looked around, trying to find the source before noticing that the desk behind him was smoking.  Seamus was holding his wand out, the tip smoking a bit and the matchbox in front of him on fire.  Professor Lupin sauntered over, putting the fire out with a wave of his wand.

            “Seamus, try annunciating the spell a bit better.  You’re less likely to catch things on fire that way,” he said kindly.

            Harry gave Seamus an encouraging grin before he turned back to his table.  Hermione had formed a small pile of needles, while Ron was still stuck with a matchstick.  Professor Lupin came up to their table and looked at their achievements with a smile.

            “Well done Harry and Hermione.  Ten points to Slytherin.  And, Harry, would you mind staying after class, please?” Lupin said.

            “Of course, Professor.”

            Once class was over, Harry waved good-bye to his friends and approached the teacher’s desk.  “Professor?”

            “Ah, Harry.  I’ve been wanting to introduce myself to you all week, but every time I went to visit, you were asleep.”

            “Hermione said that you had visited me.  Besides, I know who you are.  You’re my Uncle Moony.”

            Remus smiled at the name James had given him.  Harry was far too young to manage the whole name when James and Lily died, and he hadn’t seen the child since.  “I’m surprised you remember,” he said.

            “I didn’t actually, but Professor McGonagall sent me a letter saying that you were coming to Hogwarts.  Professor Snape also found a letter from my Mum that talked about you and Padfoot.”

            “Here, why don’t you sit down.  I reckon you might be a bit hungry, correct?”

            Harry sat down, setting his books down at his feet.  “I guess I am a bit peckish, but I was going to go down and eat dinner in the Great Hall.”

            “Ah, of course.  How about a spot of tea then?” Remus said, pulling out a battered tea set, setting the water boiling.

            “That would be lovely, Professor.”

            “Oh, please Harry.  When we’re all alone, you may call me Remus, or even Moony, if you like.”

            “Moony, then.”

            “Now how do you take your tea?”

            “One sugar, please.”

            Remus gave him a smile before pouring the tea into two chipped teacups.  He put a sugar cube into one of the cups and in the other, he added three sugars and a splash of milk.  “What do you think of Hogwarts so far, Harry?”

            “Well, I haven’t really been able to see much of it, but so far it’s amazing.  I’ve learned so much.  Professor Sprout told us all about the Whomping Willow, as well as the moonlace that grows in the forest.  It’s said that moonlace is used in the Wolfsbane potion since you can only pick it the night of a new moon.  I’ve heard that it’s helped several werewolves be able to live among wizards normally.  It was a great breakthrough.”

            “Indeed, it was.  How are you liking Potions?”

            Harry took a sip of his tea before answering.  “It’s a fascinating branch of magic.  I don’t think I like it as much as spellwork.  I mean, the idea that you can create something out of thin air, or fighting against dark magic.  It’s incredible.  Now, I want to hear more about you.  I don’t know much about you besides the fact that you were my parents’ friend.”

            “Well, I would love to be a professor full time.  In fact, as a joke, James and Sirius gave me a briefcase with the name Professor R. J. Lupin on it.  They knew that I loved teaching; I was often tutoring my fellow students when they were struggling with their classes.  I, too, loved spellwork, particularly Defense Against the Dark Arts.”

            “Really?  I would have thought Transfiguration would be your favorite, since Professor McGonagall asked you to cover her classes.”

            Remus laughed at that.  “No, actually.  Your father was the best at Transfiguration in our year.  Sometimes, when I got really sick, he would turn in his homework under my name.  It never worked, but when McGonagall gave him detention, she would have him work on some project that he was particularly interested in.”

            “What was he like?  My father?” Harry asked, his curiosity piqued.

            “James was my best friend, the greatest man I have ever known.  He strove to help me when others would have shied away.  He loved Quidditch, loved Transfiguration, loved his friends with all his heart.  James abhorred bullies, and if they bothered any of his friends, he wouldn’t hesitate to hex them.  He was the bravest, kindest, most generous person I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.  I wish you had been able to spend more time with him, Harry.”

            “He sounds amazing.  I wish I could have known him and my mother.  You had to have known her as well.  What was she like?” Harry asked, intrigued.  He didn’t know much about his parents, and delighted in knowing more.

            “As much as I loved your father, Lily was the one that kept me sane.  She was brilliant at Charms, and was one of the best duelers I’ve ever known.  She was valiant, strong, and absolutely terrifying when she was angry.  Lily was a prefect, and we often performed our rounds together.  If James was our protector, Lily was the heart and soul behind our group of friends.  When we were sad, she would stay up all night with us, or she would make us tea and listen as we ranted about the essay that we couldn’t figure out.”

            They chatted for a few more minutes before Remus decided that he needed to share certain things that Harry would need to know if he was going to help take care of the boy.  “Listen, Harry.  I want to be involved in your life, but I also don’t want you to go without knowing something about me.  When I was about five years old, I was bitten by a werewolf and I’ve been one ever since.  I never let anyone near me when I transform, but I thought you should know.  James, Sirius, and Peter discovered that werewolves are quite harmless towards animals and became animagi in order to accompany me on the full moon.  They were amazing friends.”

            “They sound like wonderful friends.  What did they turn into?”

            “You’re not upset that I’m a werewolf?”

            Harry looked at the man who would be his uncle.  “Why would I be upset by that?  It’s not like you had a choice about it, and with the Wolfsbane potion, I doubt you would even chase after a cat.  I know what it’s like to be bullied for something that you can’t control.  The Dursleys told me I was a freak because of my skin color.  Neither of us have a choice on the way we are, but we can still accept each other.  But. . . I still want to know what my father, Sirius, and Peter turned into.”

            Remus had a funny look on his face, as if he hadn’t been expecting that answer.  “Well, James turned into a stag.  He went by the name Prongs.  Sirius a big black dog and went by Padfoot.  We called Peter Wormtail because he could turn into a rat.  They were quite helpful in keeping the werewolf entertained and away from people.  We spent many full moons roaming through the Dark Forest.  Those were some of the best years of my life.”

            Harry smiled up at Remus, swinging his legs a little bit.

            Unfortunately, they weren’t able to spend as much time talking as they would have liked, seeing as how it was dinner time, and Harry hadn’t been able to stomach very much food during the previous meals.  Once their tea was finished, Remus accompanied Harry down to the Great Hall.  They mostly stuck with stories about James, Lily, and their friends.  Harry’s favorite story went along these lines.

            When they were sixteen years old, James and Sirius had planned a prank.  Technically, Remus was not a part of the planning, since he was a prefect and couldn’t condone such behaviors.  Instead, he simply left a few books from the library on Sirius’s bed, turning down the pages that would be most helpful to them.  This particular prank involved a few nifflers, and coins that were enchanted to show up only at a certain time.  In this case, right in the middle of the Halloween feast.  James and Sirius released the nifflers into the Great Hall, while Peter was trying to distract Professor McGonagall in her office.  Needless to say, there was a good deal of chaos created, and Harry found himself giggling at his father and godfather’s antics.


	5. Flying Lessons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry has his first flying lesson. He also experiences a panic attack. This chapter may contain triggers for some people.

            It was another week before their first flying lesson with the Gryffindors.  Harry was particularly excited about that class, especially since he now knew that his father was a Quidditch player.  Harry went down to the lawn in front of the castle, trailing after Draco Malfoy, who had been talking all week about how he had spent his summer flying with his father.

            Harry wasn’t entirely sure how to ride a broom, he certainly never remembered riding the toy broom Sirius had given him.  A strange feeling filled his stomach, and he suddenly regretted trying to finish his eggs that morning.  Even though he was slowly trying to manage more food, he had spent too long being starved by the Dursleys.  His body wasn’t able to handle large amounts of food, regardless of how many potions Professor Snape had him drink every day.

            All of these thoughts were running through Harry’s head as he joined the rest of the students near two rows of brooms.  Madame Hooch began talking to the group, but she had her back turned to Harry, making it impossible for him to see what she was saying.  However, before he could ask her to turn towards him, Draco raised his hand.

            “Excuse me, Madame Hooch.”

            “Yes, Mr. Malfoy?”

            “Would you mind turning towards Harry so he can read your lips?  He doesn’t know what you’re saying.”

            Madame Hooch immediately turned around, apologizing to Harry.  “I’m so sorry, Mr. Potter.  It’s been at least a decade since I last taught a deaf student.  Thank you, Mr. Malfoy for your reminder, and five points to Slytherin for thinking about your fellow student.

            “Now, as I was saying, I want all of you to stand by a broomstick.  Come on, hurry up.”

            Harry stood across from Draco with Ron on one side and Hermione on the other.  The broom he was standing next to was old, with several twigs sticking out at odd angles.

            Madame Hooch waited for a second until Harry looked up from his broom.  “Stick out your right hand over your broom and say ‘Up!’”

            Everyone shouted, “UP!”

            To Harry’s surprise and delight, the broom jumped right into his hand, closely followed by Draco’s broom.  It took a while before the others managed to get their brooms to listen.  Eventually, everyone had their brooms, and Madame Hooch spent a good amount of time teaching the students how to sit properly on their brooms and the correct way to hold on.

            “Now when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground hard.  Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, then lean forward slightly to come back down,” Madame Hooch said.  “On my whistle, three. . . two. . . one. . .TWEEE.”

            Harry pushed off from the ground, reveling in the feeling of weightlessness.  If this was what freedom felt like, then he never wanted to stop flying.  However, Madame Hooch had told them to only go a little way into the air, and so Harry found himself leaning forward when he noticed a jerking motion out of the corner of his eye.

            Neville’s broom was jumping up and down as if it was trying to buck him off.  Harry quickly looked for Madame Hooch, but she was busy scolding a couple Gryffindors for trying to push each other off of their brooms.  He was the only one that noticed that Neville was in trouble.  He quickly flew over to his friend.

            “Neville, lean forward so the broom points towards the ground.”

            Harry wasn’t sure what Neville said to him next, but he figured it wasn’t anything positive, seeing as how the broom was bucking higher and higher.  Suddenly, it shot off, going straight up in the air, Neville slowly sliding towards the end of his broom.  Not caring if he got in trouble, Harry followed after the boy, determined to try to help him back to the ground.  Neville’s face had gone ghastly white, and he looked like he was about to faint at any second.

            Levelling off next to the rogue broom, Harry leaned over and grabbed Neville’s robes, pulling their brooms closer.  “Come on Neville, swing your leg over my broom, and I’ll take you down to the ground.”

            Neville shook his head, too focused on gripping the broom so he wouldn’t fall off to even think about switching brooms in the air.  His knuckles were going white from the effort of holding on.  At least, he was holding on until his broom flipped upside down, dumping Neville off and sending the poor boy fifty feet to the ground.  Harry didn’t hesitate but dove after his friend, grabbing his arm and, with great difficulty for his little body, pulled him up onto his broom.  Harry levelled off the broom, deciding to descend slowly and gently for his friend’s sake.  Neville wrapped his arms around Harry, sobbing into his robes.

            Suddenly, Neville jerked sideways, as if he was trying to take a dive off of the broom.  Harry noticed a small, clear ball fall towards the ground.  It was falling steadily, picking up speed and heading straight towards Madame Hooch’s head.  Any object dropped from that height would be enough to seriously injure someone, and Harry dove after the ball.

            He couldn’t focus on the way the wind whistled through his hair, the way Neville was clutching his stomach.  There was only the need to catch the ball.  It was a near vertical dive, with Neville squeezing tighter and tighter, the faster Harry dove downwards.  The ball was closer, almost within reach, and Harry stretched out his arm, trying to reach it.  Twelve feet, eight feet, four feet.  His hands closed around the cool roundness and Harry pulled sharply out of the dive, swerving to avoid Madame Hooch.  He and Neville tumbled gently to the ground, the broom hovering near Harry’s side as if to ask why he would go and do something silly like fall off.

            It took him a few minutes to reorient himself, before Harry was able to stand up and help Neville to his feet.  The poor Gryffindor was white and shaking, and Harry quickly slung the bigger boy’s arm around his shoulders to support him.

            “Oh, here’s this.  I’m not entirely sure what it is, but it seems important,” Harry said, holding out the clear ball.

            “It’s a Remembrall.  My Gran sent it to me this morning,” Neville said as he took the ball from his friend.  “Thank you for catching it, Harry.  Gran would have sent me a Howler.”

            “No problem.  I’m sorry I scared you, diving like that.”

            “You saved me, you shouldn’t apologize for a little scare,” Neville said as he looked up.  “Uh-oh.  Madame Hooch is coming.”

            “Longbottom, Potter!  What were you thinking?  You both could have died!” she yelled.  Well, Harry couldn’t hear her yelling, but assumed that that was what she was doing through her posture.

            Harry shrunk into his friend’s side, seeking comfort or protection.  Neville took his arm off of Harry’s shoulders and stepped in front of the trembling boy.  He had no idea what his friend was saying and could only hope that he wouldn’t be beaten for breaking the rules.

            What Neville was saying was this: “Professor, you can’t get mad at Harry.  I couldn’t control my broom and he followed me up.  I wasn’t paying attention to where anyone else was, and I was too busy trying to stay on the broom to call for you.  We must have been fifty feet in the air when I fell off and Harry pulled me onto his broom.  He then dove to catch my Remembrall before it hit your head.  So, please don’t get mad at Harry.  He saved my life, and saved you from getting hit.”

            As he spoke, Madame Hooch’s features softened and she said, “I saw the whole thing.  I just wish you boys hadn’t endangered yourselves like that.  You won’t be in trouble.  That particular broom has been given me trouble all day.  I should have put out a different one.  I’m going to have you both go to the hospital wing to make sure neither of you are injured.”  She gently nudged Neville to the side and knelt down to look Harry in the face.  “You flew really well, Mr. Potter.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better flier on their first day.  In fact, that catch you made was spectacular.  You would make a brilliant Seeker.”

            Harry ducked his face into his robes, his face flushing a bright red.  “Thank you, Madame Hooch,” came the muffled response.

            Madame Hooch stood up and turned to the rest of the class.  “I’m going to take these two to the hospital wing to get them checked over.  Class is dismissed.  And if I find out that any of you were flying, you’ll find yourselves on the train home.”  
            Thankfully, both students were healthy with only light bruising around Harry’s ribs and a sore shoulder from catching Neville.  The Gryffindor was completely unharmed.  Instead, Madame Pomfrey told him to drink some tea to help calm his nerves, and he would be fine.

            “Harry dear, try to stay away for more than a week next time.  I love you, but I don’t want to have to treat you for injuries, love,” Madame Pomfrey said before the boys walked out of the hospital wing down to the Great Hall for dinner.

            When they got there, Harry was immediately bombarded by Slytherins and Gryffindors alike.  There were so many people asking him questions and saying things about his flying skills.  But there were too many people for him to be able to follow any of the conversation or answer any questions.  Harry felt his breathing quicken, much like it used to when he Uncle Vernon would shove him into the cupboard or approach him with the stiff leather belt.

            Suddenly, Harry needed to get away from all the people.  He didn’t care where he was going, he just needed to leave, to find space to breathe.  He pushed through the crowd, trying to escape the people who seemed to be clutching too tightly to his robes.  Even though he was a good deal shorter than all the other students crowding around him, it felt as though he was even more trapped.

            Harry dropped his bookbag and wriggled out of his cloak, finally able to escape the throngs of people that were all begging for his attention.  Harry ran and ran, not caring where he was going.  He didn’t stop to apologize when he ran into fellow students, not even noticing when he clipped various corners and walls.  When he finally stopped running, his breath was coming in gasps, his lungs burning with the effort it had taken to run.

            The cold night air went straight through his robes, chilling Harry to the bone.  He was usually cold in the castle, since he definitely was not healthy for a child his age.  The old drafty castle was usually far cooler than Harry was comfortable with.  Harry looked around once he had caught his breath enough to not be gasping and found that he was at the top of the Astronomy Tower.

            The half-moon was bright and washed the tower with a silvery light, highlighting the hollow of Harry’s cheeks.  He sat on the ground, trying to calm his nerves.  He hadn’t had an attack like this in a while, and he was desperate to regain control of his roiling emotions.

            “You’re okay.  It’s alright.  You’re at Hogwarts now.  No one’s going to hurt you,” Harry said to himself, not hearing how hoarse his voice was.  “You’re okay,” he repeated, over and over again, as though if he told himself that enough times, he would believe it.

            Harry looked up at the sky, picking out the few constellations he had learned when he was going to primary school.  He could see the big dipper circling the North Star with Cassiopeia not far away.  The moon looked down on him, cold in its appearance, and bringing no comfort to the boy.  He stayed like that, sitting on the edge of the Astronomy tower, staring at the sky for what seemed like hours.  Harry ignored the cold that was seeping into his bones, to the point where he was shivering uncontrollably.  It wasn’t nearly as bad as the time Uncle Vernon had made him sleep in the toolshed in the middle of winter.

            If he focused hard enough, he could see the various owls hunting across the Hogwarts grounds or flying up to the owlery.  He even thought he saw Hedwig for a moment, but she was gone before Harry could get a good look.  It was beautiful, in a cold way, as if the night wasn’t friendly, but waiting for its next victim.  Harry could feel the night claiming him, begging him to join the stars in the sky, to feel free.  It was a siren’s song, he knew, but couldn’t help but want to give in.  He loved his friends, but sometimes, it felt as though Hogwarts was just a dream, and he would wake up, delirious from the pain of a nasty beating in his little cupboard.

            The urge to leap into the darkness became so much, that Harry could feel his little body swaying forward dangerously.  He didn’t want to die.  He just wanted to be free.

            Beyond the veil, Lily and James were crying.  They had both found friends at the top of the Astronomy Tower and had to coax them away from the edge.  Now, they could only pray that the hordes of people searching for their son would find him in time.

            As luck would have it, it was Remus who found the frozen boy.  He tried to call to Harry, catch his attention, before he remembered that Harry was deaf and wouldn’t be able to hear him at all.  So, instead, he came up behind the boy and wrapped him in his cloak, pulling him tight against his chest.

            “Moony?  The stars are so pretty tonight.  I think they were calling for me,” Harry murmured, too cold to know what he was saying.

            “Shhh, cub.  I’ve got you.  Let’s get you warmed up and taken care of.”  Remus spoke quietly, mostly as a rumble in his chest that Harry felt vibrate through him.  He sunk into the warmth and fell deeply asleep.

            Lily and James cried aloud with relief, thanking anyone who would listen that Remus was able to find Harry before something dreadful happened.  They would love to see Harry again, but it was far too soon for any reunion between the little family.

            Remus carried Harry down the stairs, sending his Patronus off to alert the other teachers that he had found the missing child.  He cradled him gently, murmuring softly and trying to warm him up.  ‘If I hadn’t found him. . .’ Remus shuddered, cutting off that train of thought.  He was just grateful that Harry had been found.

            “Please, never scare us like that again, cub.  We would be lost without you.”

            When Remus entered the teachers’ lounge, he was ushered over to the big fire in the grate.  Madame Pomfrey had been alerted and was on her way with a potion that would help Harry to warm up faster, and would prevent any permanent damage.  Filius Flitwick and Pomona Sprout both sighed in relief at the sight of the missing boy safe and being cared for, sinking into nearby chairs and dropping off to sleep.

            It wasn’t long before Severus burst into the room, startling both professors from their slumber with his anxious worrying.  “How is he Remus?” he asked.

            “He’s cold.  I found him on the Astronomy Tower without his cloak.  Poor waif is small enough, he probably is constantly chilled.   Eight hours up there, and it’s a miracle he’s still breathing,” Remus said as he cast a warming charm over the sleeping boy cuddled up to him.

            “Salazar be praised!” Severus breathed out, slumping over where he stood.  The worry and exhaustion were obvious on his face.  He ran a hand through his hair, causing it to stick up in all sorts of directions.  “What was he doing up there?”

            Remus thought for a moment.  “I think, the crowd that gathered around him at dinner was too much and triggered a panic attack.  He’s been trained his whole life to run from danger, and I don’t think he meant to end up on the tower.  But I think if he had been up there a little longer, he might have fallen off the edge.  When I picked him up, he said that the stars were calling to him.”

            “We very nearly lost him, tonight, Remus.”  Severus paced around the room.

            “Why don’t you go Floo Minerva and let her know that he’s alright.  I had to threaten her to not come tonight since she had a very important meeting with the Minister of Magic about Sirius’s trial.  I’m sure she’s worried sick.  And it wouldn’t hurt if you got the house elves to heat up Harry’s blankets in his dorm room,” Remus suggested quietly.

            Snape nodded, glad to have something to do, but not really comfortable with the emotions he was feeling from their scare.  He wasn’t used to loving a person so completely and unconditionally that losing them would break him.  Instead, he ignored how close Harry had come to leaving and focused on what he could do to help the situation be better.

            Remus, on his part, conjured a blanket and wrapped his little cub in it before settling back in.  It was going to be a little while before Severus came back, and Harry’s bed was ready to receive him.

            “Uncle Moony?  Where are we?” came a sleepy little voice from his lap.  The professor looked down at his little ward in surprise.  Green eyes blinked back up at him, blurry and unfocused.  They had lost a lot of their shine, and Remus squeezed the boy a little tighter.

            “We’re in the teachers’ lounge, getting you warmed up.  You gave us a right good scare, Harry, when we couldn’t find you.”

            “’m sorry.  Didn’t mean to worry you.  Just needed to get away.  Too much like Dudley and his friends chasing me.”  Harry yawned.  “Can I stay with you, tonight?” he mumbled before drifting off into sleep again.

            “Whatever you want.  Don’t you ever apologize, cub.  Those people were horrible to you, and it will be a long time before you are healed from that.  We are going to protect you, no matter what,” Remus promised, more to himself than to the boy who wasn’t able to hear him.  “Don’t worry, Lily, James.  We’re going to take care of him now.  He won’t be hurt again if I can help it.”

            Severus came back fifteen minutes later, a distressed McGonagall in tow.  They stopped when they saw that Remus had fallen asleep in front of the warm fire, a small bundle wrapped in his protective arms.

            “Thank goodness, he’s alright,” Minerva said, a hand over her heart.  The boy had been through so much already, she didn’t want to think of what would happen if Harry was taken from them now.  He was burrowed far too deeply into their hearts.

            “We’ve got to wake them up, so Harry can drink his potions,” Severus said, although it was obvious that he didn’t want to disturb either of them.  It needed to be done, however, and he prodded Remus’s shoulder until his eyes opened.  “Harry’s got to take his potions.  And I doubt that chair would be comfortable to sleep in all night long.”

            Remus nodded and nudged Harry until the boy began to move in his arms.  He looked up, blinking his large green eyes at the adults surrounding him.  “Aunt Minnie?  Professor Snape?  Madame Pomfrey?  What are you doing here?”

            Minerva wrapped her arms around the boy for a second before pulling back.  “It’s time to get you to bed.  Madame Pomfrey has a potion that will help you warm up faster.”

            “Oh,” was all he said as he held his hand out for the bottle.  He drank the potion in one large gulp, not even registering the horrible taste as he usually did.  “Am I going to be punished for being out of my bed so late?”

            Snape shook his head.  “No, Harry.  We’re just glad you’re safe.  But try not to do this again, okay?”  The boy nodded and then leaned up against Remus.

            “Let’s get you to bed, cub,” Remus said, lifting Harry into his arms again.  It was sad that the boy weighed so little; it was more like picking up a six-year-old instead of an eleven-year-old.  The other teachers headed off to their respective quarters, all except Minerva and Severus, who led the way to the Slytherin common room.

            They were quite shocked at the sight that greeted them.  All of the Slytherin first years were in the common room, asleep.  Some of them looked like they had been in the middle of walking around when they fell asleep, so haphazard was the pile of bodies.  Remus took Harry to his bed and then came downstairs to help Severus shepherd the students off to their actual beds.

            “They were helping us look for Harry until I sent them all to bed around ten.  It definitely looks like they listened to me,” Severus said wryly.

            Remus had to chuckle to himself.  Ron Weasley was lying in front of the fireplace with Blaise Zabini’s head resting on his stomach.  Draco and Hermione were curled up next to each other with Pansy sprawled over the both of them in a way that had to be extremely uncomfortable.  Millicent and Daphne were lying next to each other with Theodore Nott sitting against a chair nearby.

            “Wait a second.  Isn’t that one of my students?  Mr. Longbottom?” Minerva asked as she roused Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.  Indeed, it was Neville, tucked into one of the armchairs.

            “He must have been looking for Harry as well, and the Slytherins just brought him with them.  I know he and Harry are close friends,” Remus said.

            Severus just shook his head, a tiny smile playing on his lips.  As he woke up Theo, Millicent, and Daphne, they immediately asked the teachers if Harry was alright.  Did they find him?  Is he in the hospital wing again?  Severus answered each question patiently, before turning them towards their dormitories

            Ron must have heard the noise, because he shot up, launching Blaise’s head off of his stomach.  “Harry!  Is he okay?  Where is he?” he asked frantically.

            “Shh, Mr. Weasley.  He’s going to be just fine.  He was cold, but he’s up in your dormitory, sleeping,” said Severus.  Ron didn’t waste another second, bolting upstairs to see for himself.  His noise woke up Hermione and Draco, and together, they shoved Pansy off of them and onto a dazed Blaise.  With most of the students awake, Severus only had to assure them once that Harry was going to be fine.

            “Now, go on up to your dormitories.  Tomorrow may be Saturday, but you still need to get a good night’s rest.”  He ushered the boys up the stairs, peeking into the dormitory to check on Harry one last time.  He wasn’t surprised to see Ron’s gangly form wrapped around Harry protectively.  Both boys were already fast asleep.

            _Well, body heat is the best way to get someone warm,_ thought Severus as he walked back down the stairs.  _Let’s just hope they won’t be awkward about sharing a bed in the morning_.

            Minerva had her arm around Neville and was leading him out of the common room when she saw the head of Slytherin.  “Severus, I’m going to take Neville back up to Gryffindor Tower.  I’ll be staying the night here.  I would like to talk to Harry in the morning, just to make sure he’s alright.  Plus, Sirius asked me to pass along a message to him.”

            “Then I will see you in the morning, Minerva.  Thank you, Remus, for your assistance tonight.  I don’t know what we would have done if you hadn’t found Harry in time,” Severus said.

            “It was my pleasure.  The three of us, after all, are Harry’s guardians.  We all care for him.”  Remus turned and followed Minerva out of the common room, no doubt heading to his own quarters to get some rest after the eventful night they had all had.

            The next morning dawned bright and early, and Harry was awake with the sun.  He was still a little chilled from the night before, but he was also snuggled into a warm presence.  He didn’t have to open his eyes to know that it was Ron that was curled around him, his body heat heating Harry back up.  Ron was known to be a heavy sleeper, and wouldn’t wake up for several hours yet, but Harry didn’t want to stay in bed for those hours.  He carefully extracted himself from the protective embrace of his best friend and changed into a sweater Ron had given him, and some old jeans of Dudley’s.

            He padded down the stairs to the common room, where the fire was already lit.  He curled up on the sofa in front of it and watched the fish swim by the windows.  It was peaceful, which was such a difference from the panic of the night before.  At least, it was peaceful until Ron came hurtling down the stairs, his movements startling Harry from his thoughts.

            Ron stopped short when he saw his friend on the sofa.  “There you are.  I was so worried when I woke up and couldn’t find you, Harry,” he said to his friend, flopping down next to him.

            “I’m okay, Ron.  You know I don’t sleep in very late.  If the sun is up, then I’m up.”

            “Yeah, I know.  We were just so worried when you disappeared last night.”

            “Wait, how long was I gone?” Harry asked, confused.  To him, it felt like he had been on the Astronomy tower for an hour at most.

            “Lupin, Snape, and McGonagall woke us up a half an hour past two in the morning.  So around eight hours, I’d guess.”

            “Eight hours?!  Wow.  I guess I wasn’t keeping track of the time,” Harry said thoughtfully.

            “Yeah, well.  Now we know that you don’t do well with large crowds of people talking to you.  Hopefully you won’t need to run away again, any time soon.”

            “I’m not planning on it, I can promise you that.”  Harry leaned his head against his best friend’s shoulder, and the two boys sat like that for several minutes.  “You should go and get dressed, and then we can head down to eat breakfast.  I forgot to eat dinner last night.”

            Ron nodded and a few minutes later, the boys were heading up to the Great Hall, with their arms around each other.  The hall was mostly empty save for a few older Ravenclaws and the Gryffindor Quidditch team.  There were a couple teachers as well.

            “Wow, I’ve never been here so early.  This place is empty,” Ron said as they sat down at their usual places on the Slytherin table.  He quickly grabbed several pancakes and drowned them in maple syrup before grabbing a dozen or so sausage links.

            Harry ate his bowl of oatmeal in relative silence, simply enjoying the morning.  The golden light and warmth were a stark difference to the cold beauty of the night before.  Harry spooned a couple blueberries into his oatmeal in an effort to make it taste less bland.  He celebrated quietly to himself when he managed to finish the small bowl.  It was the first meal he had been able to eat completely since he had gotten to Hogwarts, and Professor Snape and Madame Pomfrey would be thrilled to hear the news.

            “You know, you can put sugar in your oatmeal to help it taste better,” Ron said after getting Harry’s attention.

            “Other people might want some.  I don’t want to take the sugar from them,” Harry argued.

            “Mate, there’s plenty of food here for everyone.  You can take the sugar.”  Ron smiled at his best friend, but his heart was breaking.  What awful kind of place had he come from that he felt he couldn’t have something as simple as sugar?  Ron had also noticed how little Harry was able to eat, and his concern for his friend rose.  The food he was eating would have lasted Harry at least three days, if not an entire week.  _I’m going to talk with Hermione and see if she has any ideas on how to get Harry to eat more food_ , he thought to himself.

            Minerva McGonagall swept into the Great Hall, and upon seeing Harry sitting at the Slytherin table, came and sat down by him.  “Harry, dear, how are you feeling today?”

            “I’m fine, Aunt Minnie.  I’m sorry I scared you all last night,” Harry said.

            “Oh, it’s quite alright dear.  I understand the need to get away sometimes.  Just, next time, let someone know where you’re going.  And take your cloak with you.  We don’t want you getting sick from exposure.”

            Harry nodded in agreement.  Then a thoughtful look came over his face.  “Aunt Minnie, I though you weren’t due back for a few more weeks?  What are you doing here?”

            “I told you I would come and visit, did I not?  Besides, I wanted to see how you were doing.”

            “I’m doing wonderful.  I got to fly for the first time, yesterday.  That was brilliant.  Neville didn’t like it so much, but I suppose that’s because the broom went rogue.  He was very scared.  I thought for sure, that Neville and I were going to get detention from Madame Hooch, she was so angry.”

            “Well, I spoke to her this morning, and she and Professor Snape have decided to let you have an individual try-out for the Slytherin Quidditch team.  I doubt she’s going to give you a detention with how excited she was.  Madame Hooch said that she hasn’t seen a better flyer in years,” Minerva said.  “And, if Captain Marcus Flint agrees, then you will be the youngest Seeker in a century.”

            “That’s incredible.  I didn’t think I would be able to try out until next year.  I’d never even flown before.”

            “Well, from what I’ve heard, you will be a dangerous foe for Gryffindor house.  I look forward to our first game,” McGonagall said.  They spent a few more minutes talking about Quidditch before Harry asked the question that had been on his mind for a while now.

            “How is Sirius?  How’s the trial coming?”  
            “Sirius actually asked me to give you a message.  He says that he loves you and can’t wait to see you again.  His trial officially begins two days before Halloween.  The Ministry required time to prepare evidence that he is guilty, and so he has to stay in Azkaban for the time being.  I wish he could stay with me at the Leaky Cauldron or at least spend time away from that horrible place.”

            “I can’t wait to meet him.  I don’t remember anything about him, and I really want to meet him, since he is my godfather,” Harry said with a smile on his face.  Then, a thoughtful expression appeared.  “Aunt Minnie, do you think I could come and watch the trial?”  
            “That would probably not be a good idea, dear.  They’re going to be talking about some pretty awful things, that I don’t want you to hear, and I know Sirius won’t want you to hear.”

“Aunt Minnie, you know I wouldn’t hear a thing,” said Harry with a cheeky grin on his face.

Minerva chuckled at the joke.  It was good that Harry could laugh about his difficulties.  “How about, when he’s released, you can be with me to greet him,” Minerva offered.

            “Okay, that sounds good.  We should also bring Moony with us, since he was friends with Sirius too.  I think they’d like to see each other.”

            “Oh, honey, I think that’s a great idea.  I’m sure Remus would love to accompany you to the vote.  I’ll make sure that Dumbledore knows and that you can come through the Floo Network.

            Harry suddenly grinned.  “Since Sirius and Remus would be raising me together, that means that Remus is my godfather, too.  I have two godfathers.

            Minerva smiled back, cheered up by his enthusiasm.  “I’m going to go eat breakfast, and then I have another meeting with the Minister of Magic.  It was so good to see you again, Harry.”

            Harry flung his arms around the woman, giving her a quick squeeze before turning back to his own breakfast.  He had decided to try an egg after letting his stomach settle in the hopes that he would be able to handle more food that day.  Minerva left, thinking that the boy was in a wonderful place and had so many friends that loved him.  In fact, there were several first year Slytherins that came rushing into the Great Hall, a couple looking extremely disheveled.  They approached Harry, giving him hugs and surrounding him with their friendship.

            _Yes_ , McGonagall thought.  _He’ll be just fine_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Harry is not actually suicidal. He was frozen and not able to think properly, and so he became a little delusional. I love Harry and I do not want him to die!! You hear that J.K. Rowling?! Harry shouldn't die and neither should anyone else! Except Dumbledore. He can die.


	6. Quidditch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Halloween and Harry's first Quidditch game.

It was Halloween, and Harry was almost wriggling with anticipation.  The next day would be the day that the Wizengamot decided if Sirius was innocent or not.  He could barely pay attention in class and Hermione had to nudge him a couple of times to make sure he didn’t fall asleep in History of Magic.  Harry noticed that Remus wasn’t much better.  He was taking Harry to the Ministry of Magic after the Quidditch game to meet Sirius when he was finally a free man.  At this point in the proceedings, according to Aunt Minnie (who wrote to Harry at least twice a day to let him know how the trial was going), nearly the entire Wizengamot was leaning towards Sirius being innocent.  They had one more day of testimonies to listen to, and then they would vote.

            Professor Flitwick moved around their classroom, correcting students on their wand motion or their pronunciation for their levitation charms.  Hermione’s feather was floating up near the ceiling, and with a flick of his wand, Harry sent his cartwheeling up to hers.  It was rather fun to make his feather dance around the stationary one, and he tried to see how many tricks he could make it do.

            Hermione was giggling, and Ron was looking on in awe.  His feather lay on the desk, disappointingly still.  Professor Flitwick came up to their table.  He had already commented on Hermione’s performance, and he turned to help Ron.

            “Alright, remember, it’s swish and flick.  Now try again.  And remember, pronunciation is extremely important,” Harry read on the professor’s lips.

            Ron swished and flicked his wand, saying the incantation, but nothing happened.  His feather didn’t even twitch on the tabletop.  “I wish I could do nonverbal spells, like Harry,” Ron groaned.

            “Oh, was I doing that again?” Harry asked, freezing his wand mid motion.

            “It’s alright mate.  It’s kind of hard to hear the pronunciation.  I’m just a little jealous that it seems so easy for you,” Ron said.

            “Never be ashamed of your nonverbal skills, Mr. Potter,” Flitwick said.  Then he turned back to Ron.  “Try putting the emphasis on the ‘o’ sound in Leviosa.  That might work a little bit better.”

            Ron tried it this way, and his feather, slowly but surely, began to rise off of the desk.  “Look, I did it!” he cried.  Harry brought his feather back down to join Ron’s by the table.

            “You did a great job, Ron.  I’m really proud of you,” said Harry as he patted his friend on the back.  “You’ve been practicing for hours and it finally paid off.”

            “Is that so?” Flitwick asked.  “That wasn’t a part of your homework.  Five points to Slytherin for your dedication to learning.  I’m very impressed with you Mr. Weasley.”

            Ron beamed with pride, losing focus on his feather and letting it sink back down to the table.  It wasn’t very often that Ron won points for Slytherin because of what he does in the classrooms.  He was far more likely to lose points, and so this achievement meant all the more to him.

            After class, disaster struck.  Hermione split off from Harry and Ron, needing to use the bathroom.  They waited for her near the entrance to the dungeons for fifteen minutes before they started to get concerned.  Marcus Flint found them and ushered them into the Great Hall for the Halloween feast.

            It was a beautiful spread, and Harry was absolutely stunned.  He had never seen so much food in his entire life, and he began to wish he was able to eat as much as his housemates.  There was no way he would be able to taste even half of what was offered.  While he was entranced with the food and the decorations in the Hall, there was still that little worry in the back of his mind for his friend.

            Halfway through the feast, Harry noticed one of the first year Gryffindor girls, Parvati Patil, get up from her table and make her way towards the Slytherins.  She dropped down next to Harry, making sure that her mouth was visible for him.  “I thought you should know that one of the older Slytherins cornered Hermione just after Charms.  I heard them calling her a foul name, and shoved her against the wall.  I went to check on her after the Slytherin left, and she was crying in the girl’s bathroom.  I think she’s been there ever since.”

            “Thanks Parvati.  I’ll make sure to check on her when she comes out,” Harry said.  While he was no longer worried about where Hermione was, he was now worried about what the Slytherin had told her to make her cry for so long.  She was one of the strongest people he knew, as well as one of the most terrifying people in their year.  (The only other one that managed to scare the Slytherin boys frequently was Pansy Parkinson.  She was rather ruthless when she wanted to be.)

            Parvati had just sat back down at the Gryffindor table when Professor Quirrell came running down the middle of the Great Hall, shouting something, from the looks of it.  Harry turned to Ron, hoping that he would be able to tell him what this was about, but Ron and the rest of their table were scrambling to their feet, screaming.

            Harry grabbed Ron’s arm, bringing him back to reality.  “What’s going on?” he asked.

            “Someone let a troll into the castle.  It’s down in the dungeons.”

            “What?!  How is that possible?”

            Harry was turned sharply towards Dumbledore, where he could see the Headmaster was addressing the students.

            “Please, all of you keep calm.  Follow your prefects to your house common room.  Teachers, follow me to the dungeons.”

            “Wait, our common room is in the dungeons.  What are we supposed to do?” Harry asked.

            “Marcus Flint is telling us to follow the Hufflepuffs to their common room.  They are the only ones that are willing to host all of the Slytherins,” Draco said.  He grabbed Harry’s arm, while Ron grabbed his other hand, so he wouldn’t get swallowed up by the large crowds.  Since his vanishing act nearly a month ago, his friends would hold onto him when there was a lot of people around in order to keep track of him.

            They made it to the Hufflepuff common room quickly, and the students shuffled in, the Hufflepuffs making room for their guests.  Draco dropped Harry’s arm and followed Vincent and Gregory over to some chairs in the corner where they would be out of the way.  Harry tugged on Ron’s arm, getting his attention.

            “Hermione doesn’t know about the troll.  The girl’s bathroom isn’t far from here.  I bet we could go and get her and come back before anyone realizes we’re gone,” Harry said frantically.

            “Okay, but I’m telling Blaise where we’re going, that way he can tell Snape if we don’t come back soon,” Ron said.  In that moment, he reminded Harry remarkably of Hermione.

            Harry agreed, and soon, the two boys snuck out of the Hufflepuff dormitories and raced through the empty halls to the bathroom.  Harry tried to run through the door, but it was locked and he bounced backwards into Ron.  He could feel several bruises on his body already forming from the collision.

            “It’s locked,” Harry said.

            Ron clapped his hand over his friend’s mouth.  He mouthed, “There’s somebody in there, yelling some really horrible things.  I can hear Hermione crying.  I think we should go get Lupin or Snape.”  Just then, Ron’s face went white, causing his freckles to stand out against his skin.  “He’s using one of the Unforgiveable curses on her.  She’s screaming.”

            Harry pointed his wand and thought of the charm he had seen one of the professors do on a classroom door Peeves had locked.  He tried the door, and found that he had unlocked it.  He ran into the room, wand held ready to battle whoever was hurting Hermione.  There was a tall boy, with a silver mask pulled over his face.  He pointed his wand at the two boys, and Ron tackled Harry to the ground.  They had narrowly avoided a rather horrible curse that had been flung their way.  When they stood up, their attacker was gone.

            Hermione was lying on the ground near the far wall of the bathroom, the water from one of the broken sinks spread around her.  She was ghostly pale, and Harry rushed to her side, feeling for a pulse in her neck.  It was there, though it was weak.  “She’s still alive,” he breathed out and he felt Ron sag next to him.

            Harry felt the floor vibrate violently beneath him, and turned to see what was happening.  He tugged on Ron’s arm when he saw the troll standing in the doorway of the bathroom.  “Ron, I think the troll has left the dungeons,” he said.  “We have to keep Hermione safe, so Madame Pomfrey can treat her.”

            He could see Ron nod out of the corner of his eye.  And then, the red-haired Slytherin darted forward, shooting sparks at the troll.  The troll was rather furious at this little ant trying to attack it, and swung up his giant club that had gone unnoticed up until that point.  Ron dove to the side, ignoring the way the tiles cracked behind him.  He darted behind the troll, desperate to lure it away from his friends.  But the troll had seen Harry and Hermione, realizing that they were easy prey.

            Harry, however, was angry.  First, someone had hurt his friend, and now, a giant troll was going to try to kill them.  He refused to let that happen.  And so, he did the most Gryffindor thing he had done in his life.  He charged the troll, and, using the rising club as a handhold, jumped onto the troll’s head.

            The troll, of course, didn’t like having a puny human being on its head and tried to jerk Harry off of it.  It was rather like trying to hold onto a big, ugly, stinky bull, like Uncle Vernon complained about the Americans doing.  From all of the jerking around, Harry accidentally stuck his wand up the troll’s nose, and it was yanked from his hands.  Harry wrapped his arms around the thick neck and hung on for dear life.

            Ron watched all of this unfold, terrified for his two friends.  They needed to keep the troll busy until the teachers arrived, as they were making enough noise the entire school had probably heard them.  He looked around for something to throw at the troll, but nothing was big enough to do any damage, or was too heavy for him to lift and throw.

            Then, he remembered their Charms lesson from earlier.  _Swish and flick_ , he thought.  He raised his wand, swished and flicked, and yelled “Wingardium Leviosa!”  The troll’s club lifted straight out of its hands and floated up above its head.  The club dropped, hitting the troll.  It swayed dangerously, seeming like it was going to fall onto Hermione.  But then, it toppled backwards, and Harry leaped from the neck.  It fell to the ground with a great thump.

            “Is it dead?” Harry asked.

            “No, I think it’s just knocked out,” Ron responded.

            Harry approached the troll and pulled his wand from its nose and wiped it on the troll’s trousers.  It was rather icky, and Harry made a mental note to ask Professor Snape to clean it off with one of those cleaning charms.

            He ran past the troll and knelt down next to Hermione.  She was still pale, and her heartbeat was still weak.  “Come on, Hermione, wake up,” he said as he shook her.  She didn’t stir.

            Ron touched his shoulder, startling Harry from his worry and pointed towards the door.  Professor Snape was standing in the doorway with Professors Lupin and Quirrell behind him.

            “What on earth happened?” he yelled.

            Harry stood up quickly.  “Sir, we were coming to get Hermione.  You see, Parvati Patil from Gryffindor said that one of the older Slytherins had said some horrible things to her, and she was in here crying.  I knew that Hermione wouldn’t have known about the troll, so I figured, with the troll in the dungeons, we could bring her to the Hufflepuff common room in just a few minutes.  When we got here, Ron said he heard someone shouting.”

            Ron took over the story.  “I heard a boy’s voice saying things like ‘Mudblood’ and ‘disgrace to Salazar Slytherin.’  We were just about to go and get you, Professor Snape, when I heard the boy cast the Cruciatus Curse.  Harry and I ran in here, because Hermione was screaming and being hurt.  The guy was wearing a silver mask over his face, so we couldn’t see what he looked like, but he fired a curse at us.  Then he ran.”

            Harry jumped back in.  “We went and checked on Hermione, since she was far too still, when I felt the ground trembling.  I turned and the troll was blocking the doorway.  We didn’t have a choice, but to fight it, since it had already seen us.  And with Hermione unconscious and injured, we couldn’t move her.  So, Ron charged the troll, trying to lure it from the bathroom, but it thought that Hermione was an easier target.  So, I jumped on its back and accidentally stuck my wand up its nose.  Ron used the levitation charm on its club and knocked it out.  That’s when you arrived,” Harry finished, slightly out of breath.

            The three teachers were shocked.  Professor Lupin came over and knelt down next to Hermione.  He performed several complicated spells, before turning back to the boys.  “She’s going to be fine, but she’ll need a night in the hospital wing.  Madame Pomfrey will have her all fixed up by the match tomorrow, though Hermione might still be a little sore.”

            Lupin conjured a stretcher before levitating Hermione onto it.  “I’ll take her to the hospital wing now,” he said.

            Professor Snape looked at the two boys left in the bathroom.  “I am very impressed with your courage.  Not many first-years can take on a fully-grown mountain troll and live to tell the tale.  Your loyalty to your friends is also extremely admirable.  Ten points will be awarded to each of you.  But try not to get into trouble again,” he said.

            The Slytherins were herded down to their dormitories, with teachers on guard around them.  Harry and Ron were both extremely exhausted, the adrenaline from their fight causing them to fall asleep as soon as their heads hit their pillows.  Harry’s last thought before he was pulled into a deep slumber was that he hoped his parents would be proud of his actions.

            The next day was stunning.  It was a Saturday, and the houses were picking which sides to support in the upcoming Quidditch match.  Since Harry had tried out with Marcus Flint and was accepted as the most incredible Seeker he had ever seen, he was getting ready for his first ever Quidditch match.  It was both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.

            A parcel landed in front of Harry while he was steadily working through a bowl of oatmeal.  (Ron and Hermione were still researching ways to help him eat more.)  Hedwig took a gulp from his pumpkin juice and Harry grabbed one of the sausages from Ron’s plate to feed her.  It was gone in a flash, and after a playful nip on his ear, flew out of the Great Hall and back to the owlery.

            Ron pulled his attention back to the parcel he had received.  “That looks like a broomstick!” Ron shouted, obviously excited.

            Harry eagerly tore open the wrappings, revealing the sleek-looking Nimbus 2000.  There was a letter next to it.

            _**Harry,**_

_**Good luck on your first match, today.  While I have to cheer for Gryffindor, as I’m the head of house, I do hope you play well.  Sirius asked me to use his money to buy this broom for you.** _

_**The Ministry is going to take a vote this afternoon at two, so try to end the game before then so you can meet us.  Sirius is desperately excited to see you.** _

_**Be safe,** _

_**Aunt Minnie** _

            Harry read through the letter again and a grin split his face.  “Sirius had Aunt Minnie buy this broom for me for my first game.”  He handed the letter off to Ron who whistled in appreciation.

            “You better finish the match quick, if you and Lupin are going to make it to the Ministry on time,” Draco said.

            “And keep an eye on my brothers.  They won’t purposely try to maim you, but they are amazing Beaters and will try to keep you from catching the Snitch,” Ron added.

            Hermione came down to meet them when they headed down to the pitch.  Harry grabbed his bag with his Quidditch uniform, and walked towards the team changing rooms.  He tried not to think about changing in front of the other athletes, not comfortable with showing his scars.  He was walking, not really paying attention to where he was going, instead watching as Millicent helped Hermione down to the pitch.

            He ran headlong into a firm body.  Bouncing back, Harry found himself in front of Professor Snape.  “You should probably watch where you’re going, Harry.”

            “Sorry Professor.  I was just lost in thought, I guess.”

            “Worried about your teammates seeing your scars?” Severus guessed.

            “Yes, in part.  I was also worried about Hermione.  She’s still moving really slowly, and I can tell she’s in pain.”

            “I can’t do much for Hermione, but I can cast a glamour charm, so no one will be able to see your scars.  I’ll remove it after the game.”

            Harry cast a brilliant smile towards his guardian.  “That would be wonderful.  Thanks, Professor.”

            “And, Harry.  You can call me Severus when we are alone or with the other adults.  If I’m going to help raise you, I want you to feel comfortable.  No more sir or professor, alright?”

            Harry nodded before skipping off to the changing rooms.

            Madame Hooch was refereeing the game, and she stepped out to the middle of the pitch.  Harry flew out of the gate, following his other teammates to their half.  He flew higher than the others, ready to pursue the Snitch.  The flying instructor released the Snitch and the Bludgers before throwing the Quaffle up in the air, signaling the start of the game.

            Gryffindor’s Chasers were good, as was their captain.  Harry had noticed the friendly rivalry between Oliver Wood and Marcus Flint over the past few weeks of practices.  He had once mentioned it to Marcus, but was told that the Gryffindor was the bane of his existence and he refused to acknowledge the glances that he threw to the other side of the pitch.

            The Gryffindors scored, and Harry groaned to himself.  He admired the three Chasers on the other team; they had an easy interaction that spoke of years of practice, and they flew extremely well.  One of their beaters hit Katie Bell on the back of the head, while one of the Weasley twins sent another to the Slytherin Chaser, Adrian Pucey.

            Before the game had begun, Marcus had pulled Harry aside and said, “I think it would be best if you flew high up in the air, keeping an eye out for the Snitch.  We don’t want you to get attacked.  I know the Gryffindors play a clean game, but the Bludgers don’t and they won’t hesitate to come after you.  The last thing we need is for you to end up in the hospital again.”

            And so, Harry was flying about a hundred feet in the air, trying to watch the game below him while searching for any sign of the glint of gold.  Fred (he didn’t know how he knew which twin it was, he just did) hit a Bludger towards Harry, throwing a wink as he did.  Harry easily dodged it, grinning at the Weasley twin.

            Harry saw a glint of gold fly past Adrian’s shoulder, and dove down to chase after the Snitch.  The Gryffindor Seeker, Trevor Horntail, had also seen the Snitch and was racing to the little golden ball.  They were flying neck and neck, each equally matched.  Harry’s superior broom and speed matched up against Trevor’s years of experience.

            Suddenly, a Bludger smashed into their brooms, knocking both Seekers off course.  There were screams in the audience, particularly coming from where his friends were sitting, but Harry couldn’t hear them.  Instead, he was focusing on pulling his broom back on track.  When he finally regained control, the Snitch had disappeared once again.

            He went back to circling the pitch, looking for any sign of the Snitch.  Marcus Flint scored twice, and Adrian Pucey scored as well, leaving the score Gryffindor 40 to Slytherin 30.  Gryffindor was in possession of the Quaffle when Harry felt something strange in the air.  Looking around, he noticed a Bludger hurtling towards him.  He dodged it easily, but the feeling was still there.  Suddenly, he felt his broom lurch underneath him, rather like the school broom did for Neville.  Harry gripped the broom tightly, scared that he was going to fall off the broom.  He looked down at the ground, more than 100 ft. below him, and felt his head spin.

            Then, the broom lurched again, and Harry had to grip the broomstick with his hands and knees so tight, he knew they were going to be bruised and sore the next day.  Harry tried to point the broom towards the ground, to get lower, but he realized it was completely out of his control.  He couldn’t turn it, or steer it in any way.

            It started to buck violently underneath him, and Harry let out a shout of fright.  It was zig zagging through the air, steadily rising higher, much like Neville’s broom had done, and Harry realized that maybe his broom was going rogue.  It was all he could do to hold on, he couldn’t even think of calling for help from one of the Beaters fifty feet below him.

            Down in the stands, Hagrid had joined the Slytherins in order to cheer for Harry.  He felt responsible for the boy, seeing as how he had taken Harry from his home in Godric’s Hollow and gave him to Dumbledore.  He had his binoculars out, and was gazing up at Harry.

            “Blimey, I think Harry’s lost control of his broom.  He’s going to kill ‘imself,” Hagrid said.

            Hermione and Ron looked up at their friend and realized that he was right.  Harry’s broom was jerking around wildly, looking like Neville’s encounter with a broom. The other Quidditch players were still focused on the game happening below, but the audience began to notice the Seeker climbing higher and higher.  There were screams around the stands as people watched the broom get increasingly violent in its attempts to throw Harry off.

            Draco had been watching Harry, but now, he was scanning the stands, using Vincent’s binoculars.  He had suspected that day at the flying lesson that someone was jinxing Longbottom’s broom, but now, he was sure of it.  Thanks to his mother, he knew what jinxing looked like, and was able to spot three professors mouthing silently.  One was Snape, another Lupin, and the third was Quirrell.  Neither Snape nor Lupin would ever hurt Harry, and so Draco assumed that Quirrell was the one cursing the Seeker, while the other two were muttering the counter-curse.

            “Mione, Ron.  Look.  Quirrell is jinxing the broom,” Draco said, pointing across the pitch.  Hermione used her own binoculars to look at the professor and had to agree that Draco was right.

            “Stay here, I’ll go and help Professor Lupin and Professor Snape.”

            She disappeared into the crowds of people before anyone was able to protest that she wasn’t strong enough yet.

            Harry was holding tightly to the broom, his fingers aching from the effort.  “Please, please, someone help,” he muttered.  Fred and George were the first to notice that something was amiss with the Slytherin Seeker and flew up to him, calling for the Slytherin Beaters to follow them.  One of them, Kristy Larkin, ordered Fred to go and guard the other players with her, while George and the other Beater, Sam McAllister, worked on how to get Harry down safely.

            The closer they flew to the Seeker, the higher the broom rose, until both Beaters decided to circle below Harry in the hopes that they would be able to catch him when he fell.  By this point, both teams had noticed that something was wrong, and Marcus Flint zoomed upwards to join them.  After all, Snape had made it clear that while playing Quidditch, Flint was responsible for Harry’s safety.

            “Harry, try to point the broom down towards us,” Marcus called.  When Harry didn’t respond, he remembered that the boy was deaf and couldn’t hear him.  Plus, he was far too focused on holding on to even think about reading lips.

            Marcus flew as close as he could without sending the broom up even higher, and reached out towards Harry.  He had his wand out, ready to try a summoning charm on the boy if need be.  Harry tried to reach out to grab Flint’s hand, but the broom gave a violent jerk sideways and the Seeker fell off his broom, barely able to catch himself with one hand.  The crowd below them screamed with fright, and Pansy was gripping Blaise tightly around his head.

            The broom swung back and forth, trying to get Harry to lose his grip, while the boy was trying to grab on with his other hand.  They jumped ten or twelve feet into the air and then dove back down.  He was hovering around 150 ft above the ground.  If he fell now, he would not survive.

Hermione made her way through the crowds until she was crouching behind the DADA teacher.  She pulled a small jar from her pocket and whispered a few well-chosen words.  A small blue flame shot out of her wand into the jar and she carefully poured it out onto Quirrell’s cloak.  It took him less than a minute to realize he was on fire, and he broke eye contact with Harry’s broom.  Hermione scooped the fire back into the jar and crept back along the row until she was safely with her friends.  She collapsed next to Ron, too tired to keep standing.

            “What did you do, Hermione?” asked Ron.

            The witch grinned as she pulled the jar of flames from her pocket.  “I set him on fire, of course.”

            Meanwhile, the broom had finally stopped moving, and allowed Marcus to fly close enough to help Harry back onto the broomstick.  He was finally safely back on his broom, and the whole crowd breathed a sigh of relief.  Together, all of the athletes flew down to a more reasonable height.

            Marcus went back to trying to score on Wood with the Quaffle.  George came up briefly to ask how Harry was doing, making sure that he was okay before joining his twin in beating Bludgers towards the Chasers of the Slytherin team.  They were back to the friendly rivalry, now that the young boy was once again safe.

            Harry was circling the pitch when he once again spotted a glint of gold towards the ground.  He pulled his broom into a steep dive, with Trevor Horntail hot on his tail.  The Snitch flitted around fifteen feet above the pitch.  As the two Seekers got closer and closer to the Snitch, it dove towards the ground.  Ten feet, five feet, and Trevor pulled up, not daring to dive any closer to the ground.

            Three feet from the ground, and then one foot, and the Snitch darted across the pitch and Harry pulled out of the dive, causing the crowd to gasp, unknown to the Seeker.  He leaned forward, his hands nearly closing around the Snitch when he suddenly lost his balance and pitched forward.  He rolled off head over heels on the ground before coming to his feet.

            The people in the stands thought that the young Seeker looked like he was going to be sick on the field.  He gagged and suddenly, he spat out the Golden Snitch, snatching the ball from the air.

            He held it up, showing it to the crowd, and the side dressed in silver and green went wild.  Slytherin had won the match and his friends were streaming down to the pitch.  The Slytherin team descended and surrounded him.  Marcus Flint hoisted the small boy on his shoulder, cheering loudly.

            Oliver Wood, the Weasley twins, and the Chasers all came over, shaking hands with the Slytherins and congratulating them on a job well done.  The twins took Harry from Flint and rubbed his head (both of them were gladder that their friend was alright than upset that they lost).  Harry giggled, gladly accepting the affection from his best friend’s older brothers.

            Professors Snape and Lupin pushed their way through the crowd until they were next to Harry.  Remus pulled Harry into a hug, not caring about maintaining a professional distance in favor of embracing his godson.  “Moony!  Look!  I caught the Snitch.  We won!”

            “Congratulations, Harry.  You did incredibly well, cub,” Remus said, making sure that Harry could read his lips.

            “Did you see that dive?  It was wicked!” Harry crowed, high on the adrenaline of the past hour.

            Severus came up.  “Yes, we did, Harry.  And we are very proud.  But I think you better get changed out of your Quidditch robes.  It’s nearly 1:45, and the voting happens at 2:00.”

            “Oh, of course.  Let me give the Golden Snitch to Madame Hooch and I’ll meet Moony up by the Entrance Hall.”

            Harry ran off, disappearing into the crowd of celebrating Slytherins.  Remus watched him go with a fond expression.  “For a moment there, I swear he looked just like James after he won his first Quidditch match.”

            Severus nodded.  “That’s not exactly a pleasant memory for me, but I guess you’re right.  He does look remarkably like James, but in everything else besides Quidditch, he’s exactly like Lily.  Now, go on, you need to get going if you’re going to make it in time to the deliberation.”

            Remus nodded and took off towards the castle, a little bit of a spring in his step.  Severus looked around at the celebrating students, and noticing that nobody was paying attention to him, and let a small smile grace his face.  _It’s a good thing Remus is going to get his mutt back.  He needs the support, and Harry needs his godfather_.


	7. Sirius's Release

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius's trial and deliberation.

            At the Ministry of Magic, Minerva McGonagall was pacing nervously in the Atrium.  Sirius was in the holding cells below, having just a little longer to endure the torture of the dementors.  Amelia Bones came up next to Minerva.

            “Are you nervous?” she asked.

            “How can I not be.  The Wizengamot that has encouraged the persecution of muggleborns, werewolves, house elves, and other magical creatures is going to determine the fate of an innocent man.  With all the bigots there, who knows if they’ll want to have Sirius released.  They won’t want someone who will advocate for change.  But I really hope that they’ll do the right thing.”

            Amelia Bones put her arm around her dear friend.  “I know that a lot of the wizards and witches are eager to right a terrible wrong, but I also know that Dolores Umbridge and Lucius Malfoy are trying to sway people to their side.  Let’s hope that there are enough that will vote to release Sirius.  He’s suffered enough.”

            “Quite right, Amelia.  Quite right.”

            The fireplace to their right flared, and Remus and Harry stumbled out, covered in soot.  Once Harry had gained his breath from all the soot he’d accidentally inhaled, he ran over to Minerva and threw his arms around her waist.  “Aunt Minnie!  Guess what?  I caught the Snitch.  Well, more like almost swallowed it, but I won!  It was incredible.”

            **I am very proud of you Harry.  And I see that you don’t have any broken bones** , Minerva signed to Harry.

            “You can sign?” Harry asked, his eyes wide.

            **I figured I’d learn while I’m working on Sirius’s case.  I had quite a lot of free time.**   Minerva smiled at the young boy.  His happiness was so obvious, that she could not help but smile back.  **Now, come.  The proceedings are about to start.**

            She took Harry’s hand, and led him to the elevator.  Remus and Amelia followed the two.  “He’s so small.  I know Minerva’s been working on removing Harry from Dumbledore’s care, but I never really understood what the purpose was,” Amelia spoke softly to Remus.

            “The family that Dumbledore left him with was Lily’s sister, her husband and son.  They treated him cruelly.  He’s extremely malnourished and is prone to injury.  He’s had more happen to him this year than any other student, and its only Halloween.”

            “Dumbledore has the Ministry in his pocket.  It’s been a difficult fight for Minerva, but I’m hopeful that she’ll manage to convince the Wizengamot to return Mr. Potter to the custody of people that care about him,” Amelia said.  They both followed Minerva into the elevator.

            “Sirius will help with that fight, I’m sure of it,” Remus said.

            They went far underground, so far, that even Harry’s ears began to hurt from the pressure change.  When the elevator doors opened, Minerva cast a Patronus charm, keeping Harry close by her to protect him from the dementors that were floating around the courtrooms.  He had enough bad memories in his lifetime, he didn’t need the ghastly creatures to target him.

            **Come, the courtroom is this way** , Minerva signed as she spoke to the other adults.  They entered the cavernous courtroom, and Minerva led them to seats near the defense table.  There was a large chair in the center with horrible looking chains attached to it.  Harry shrunk into Minerva’s side, the sight of the chains making him think of the Dursleys.

            “Will they chain Sirius to the chair?” he asked quietly.

            **They have for the entire trial.  They don’t want him to escape if they think he’s guilty.**

            “But he’s not guilty.  My mum and dad said so, and they should believe them.”

            Remus took Harry’s other hand.  “Sometimes people don’t believe what others tell them, regardless of how trustworthy they are.  And there are a lot of people here that don’t really like Sirius.  They won’t care if he’s innocent or not, they just want him locked up.”

            “But that’s not right.  He’s innocent.  They have to see that.”

            “We can only hope, cub.”

            **I’ll interpret for you, since it’s frowned upon to speak during the proceedings** , McGonagall signed.

            **Thanks Aunt Minnie** , he signed back, giving her the name sign of aunt and an M.  She smiled at the boy.

            **Sirius is rather thin.  Azkaban is a horrible place, and it hasn’t been easy on him.  The ministry let me take him for a shave and a shower, but he’s still rather ragged looking.  Don’t be frightened when you see him.  He loves you very much.  Every time I see him, he tells me how he can’t wait to see you.**

            Harry nodded his understanding.  The Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge (Remus had had to write down his name for Harry to figure it out), stood up and said, **Bring in the defendant.**

            The door in the back opened, and two large cloaked creatures that made the room colder came in, escorting a tall man with long black hair and thin arms.  Remus tightened his hand around Harry’s.  He sat in the chair in the center of the room, and the chains sprang to life, wrapping him up tightly.

            **Sirius Black, you have been accused of betraying Lily and James Potter, killing Peter Pettigrew, killing twelve muggles, breaking the Statute of Secrecy, and giving information to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.  You have spent the last ten years in Azkaban prison, having been sent there without a trial.  Today, we determine your guilt of said crimes.**

**Those in favor of the guilt of the above crimes of Sirius Black, raise your hand.**

            Harry looked up from watching Minerva’s hands as they interpreted the proceedings.  A toad-like woman raised her hand along with a tall, blonde man that looked remarkably like Draco.  Exactly three other wizards raised their hands as well.

            **The vote has been noted.  Those in favor of the innocence of the above crimes of Sirius Black, raise your hand.**

This time, more hands than Harry could count in such a short time rose into the air.  Some shot up, while others were more hesitant, but the majority of the Wizengamot decided that Sirius Black was innocent.

            **Congratulations Mr. Black.  You have been found innocent by the Wizengamot.  Since you have spent ten years in Azkaban needlessly, the court hereby awards you 100,000 Galleons.  Before you leave today, you will also register your Animagus form and your wand will be returned to you.  Court is dismissed.**  
            Harry watched Sirius out of the corner of his eye as he was determined to be innocent.  The chains retracted from his body, and he stood up.  The dementors left the room, and, as Harry watched, he began to cry.  The man ran over to the small group of people that had come to support him.

            “Harry, Remus, Minnie!  I’m a free man,” he cried.

            The group of four went down the stairs and onto the floor of the courtroom.  Remus beat them all down and threw his arms around Sirius.  Harry was not shocked to see that he was crying as well.  The two men gripped each other tight.  The boy couldn’t see what was being said, but figured it wasn’t his business anyway.

            Then, Sirius pulled away from the werewolf and knelt down in front of Harry.  “Hi, Harry.  I’m Sirius, your godfather.”

            “I know,” Harry said as he threw his arms around his godfather.  After a split second’s hesitation, Sirius embraced his godson for the first time in ten years.  He was unashamed of the tears that were flowing down his cheeks.

            “Come Sirius,” Minerva said to the newly freed man.  “We need to get you registered and then get everyone back to Hogwarts.”

            Sirius nodded and scooped Harry up, setting him on his hip much like he used to when he was barely a year old.  “Come on, pup.  Let’s get back to Hogwarts.  I want to hear all about your first Quidditch match.”

            For his part, Harry refused to leave his godfather’s side, even when the Ministry official helped Sirius fill out his forms for his registration.  He was set on the ground for that, but clung tightly to his side.  When Sirius transformed into Padfoot for the Ministry official, Harry giggled in delight, having always wanted a dog when he was a child.  Now he got a dog and a godfather in one package.

            Remus watched this with a huge grin on his face.  Six months ago, he was living by himself, alone in the world, believing that his best friend had killed their friends.  Now, Sirius was free, and he had a sweet little boy with enough love in him to fill an ocean.  He now had a family, which surprisingly consisted of Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall.

            When Sirius was finished with the Ministry and was given back his wand, Harry elected to walk in between them, holding both Remus’s and Sirius’s hands.  The boy was practically skipping with joy.  Three of his four guardians were with him, and he could not be happier than in that moment.

            In heaven, Lily and James looked on.  “I’m so glad Minnie was able to prove Sirius innocent.  That he even went to Azkaban was horrible.  How could anyone think he would betray us?” James said.

            “I know, love.  But he’s free now.  And look how happy Hari is.  The situation was not ideal, but they’re a family now.  That’s all we ever wanted for them,” Lily responded.

            Amelia Bones left the group in the Atrium of the Ministry and the remaining adults took Harry through the Floo network into the Transfiguration office.  They stumbled slightly, and Minerva looked around the office.  “I’m glad to see that the office is in pristine condition.  With your track record at school, I would have expected to at least find the desk stuck to the ceiling.”

            “I thought about maybe painting it green for you, but I figured that I would rather not start a prank war between the two of us,” Remus said with a smile.

            Harry didn’t notice the conversation between the two, instead focused on tugging Sirius out of the room and through the corridors.  Remus and Minerva followed the two with a grin, knowing that they were going to the Slytherin common room.  They went down to the dungeons, stopping in front of an obscure stretch of damp wall.

            “Wait, this is where the Slytherin common room is?” Sirius asked, making sure that Harry could see his lips.

            Harry nodded eagerly.  “Moonlace,” he said and a doorway appeared in the wall.  He opened it and pulled Sirius into the common room.

            The common room, itself, was decked out in silver and green and there were students mingling around, eating food that probably came from the kitchen.  Although Harry couldn’t hear it, he could feel the vibrations from the cheering and yelling of the students celebrating their win.  Marcus Flint was in the center, downing pumpkin juice like he was a man dying of thirst.  Draco was close by, nibbling on a pumpkin pasty while Hermione was chatting with him, most likely about something to do with their homework.  (Ron never quite understood why they liked to do their homework, or even think about classes when they weren’t actively in class.)

            When Ron noticed that Harry was back, he let out a whoop, drawing the attention of the entire common room.  Harry ducked his head, blushing.  Marcus Flint nudged the other students to the side in order to make his way to Harry’s side.

            “Hey, I didn’t get a chance to tell you, but you did a great job today.  It’s incredible that you were able to hang onto your broom that long; I don’t think I could have done that.  And nearly swallowing the Snitch!  I can’t believe it.  Wood owes me five Galleons,” Marcus said, as he ruffled Harry’s hair.

            “Thanks Marcus.  It’s thanks to your coaching that I was able to catch it.”

            Ron came bounding over, scooping Harry up in a hug.  “Harry we were so worried when Quirrell was jinxing your broom, but then you ended up catching the Snitch and winning the match.  You were incredible.”

            “Wait, what do you mean?  Quirrell was jinxing my broom?” Harry asked.

            “Someone jinxed your broom?!” Sirius said.

            “It was bucking something awful.  He was nearly 150 feet in the air when Hermione managed to stop him and let Lupin and Snape successfully do the counter-curse,” Ron said.  “Draco saw them from across the pitch.  We know that Lupin and Snape would never hurt Harry, so we figured it was Quirrell.  As soon as Hermione set him on fire, the broom stopped jerking around and Harry was able to climb back on.”

            “Did you tell Professor Snape?” Harry asked.

            “Yeah, we explained what happened.  Snape said he would look into it.  Oh, by the way, congratulations on your release, Sirius.  We’ve been following the trial anxiously,” Ron said with a huge smile on his face.

            Sirius stuck his hand out for the boy to shake.  “You’re a Weasley, right?  Ronald, if I remember correctly.”

            Ron took the offered hand.  “You have a good memory.  My friends call me Ron.  Well, really, only my mum and great aunt call me Ronald.”

            Hermione and Draco appeared in front of them, Draco supporting her, since she was still weak from their ordeal the night before.  “Hey Harry, it looks like the trial went well.  You must be Sirius.  I’m Hermione Granger.”

            “You’re the one that set fire to Quirrell when he was jinxing the broom,” Sirius said.  “And you must be Draco Malfoy.  I never got the pleasure of meeting you when you were a baby, since your mother and I weren’t on speaking terms.”

            “You knew my mother?”

            “She’s my cousin.  My mother disowned me when I was sixteen years old, so I didn’t spend a lot of time with any of my family.”

            Harry was following the conversation with interest, and was particularly surprised when Sirius said that he and Draco were related.  He had no idea.  So, in a way, Harry and Draco were also related, since Harry considered Sirius his family.

            Minerva and Remus went off into the crowd, either in search of something to eat, or looking for Severus.  Sirius, however, stayed next to Harry, not wanting to leave him for a moment.  He had missed ten years of his life, and he wanted to spend as much time with him as he could.

            Draco, however, wanted to speak to Harry in private.  He had a question that he would prefer the other Slytherins to not hear, particularly the older ones that most likely hurt Hermione.  He focused on getting the fingering correct and got Harry’s attention.  **May I speak to you in private?** he asked.

            Harry nodded.  He whispered in Sirius’s ear.  Sirius nodded and said something about finding Snape to have a word with him.  The two first-years walked up the stairs to their dormitory.  Once the door was closed and they were alone, Draco lit the lamps so they could both see.

            “You’re signing really well,” Harry commented, seeing that Draco was rather nervous about what he wanted to talk about.

            **Hermione has been helping me this past month, nearly every day.  That, along with the books, and I was able to pick it up relatively quickly.**   Draco fidgeted for a few moments.  **Would you mind signing with me like you do with Hermione.  I need to practice reading BSL.  I’ve got signing down pretty well.**

 **Of course,** Harry signed.  **I’d be happy to.**

            Draco nodded his thanks.  They were silent for a few more minutes before the blonde boy sat on his bed, motioning for Harry to sit next to him.  **What did my dad vote for?**

            **Is he rather tall and have long blonde hair like yours?**

            He nodded.

            **He, along with four others, voted guilty.**

            At this, Draco sagged.  **He said he wasn’t going to.  That he was going to do the right thing.  I asked him to make sure the other members of the Wizengamot** (Draco finger-spelled this.) **understood that Sirius is innocent.  I know the Ministry can be rather close-minded, and so I wanted Father to make sure that they did the right thing for once.**

            **I’m sorry,** Harry signed before he put his arm around his friend.  They may not spend as much time together, but Harry considered all of his fellow Slytherins to be his friends, and if one of them was hurting, he was going to do his best to comfort them.

            **You’re not the one that should be sorry.  I’m just glad that there were enough people that wanted to let Sirius free.  And to find out that we’re related.  As Malfoys, we always protect our family.**

Harry didn’t say anything to that.  He couldn’t.  There were no words that could comfort that kind of hurt.  The door opened, and a dark, bushy-haired head stuck through the gap.  Hermione stepped into the boys’ dormitory and joined the boys on Draco’s bed.

            **Your father voted guilty, didn’t he** , she signed.  Draco didn’t say anything, just nodded.  **I’m sorry Draco.** (She used the name sign that she and Harry had spent an evening assigning to their housemates.  Draco was the sign for a dragon, Hermione was an H and the sign for brilliant, Ron was red and W, while Harry was a motion like a lightning bolt.)  **Harry, why don’t you go back down.  Sirius is looking for you.  I can stay up here with Draco.**

            Draco, however, shook his head.  **Let’s all go down.  I didn’t really eat anything at dinner, and I’m a bit hungry.  Besides, there are some fantastic pumpkin pasties down there.**

The three of them headed back down to the common room in time to see Sirius transform into a dog in order to get pets from the students.  He was wagging his tail and looking ridiculously happy.  When he saw Harry, he barked once, a loud booming noise, and bolted over to him.  He stood up on his hind legs and licked Harry’s face, tail wagging so hard that it nearly knocked Pansy over.

            “Come on, Sirius.  Transform back,” Harry laughed.

            The dog turned into a man and embraced his godson, before pulling Draco and Hermione in for a hug as well.  “Thank you for taking such good care of Harry,” he said to them, knowing that Harry wouldn’t be able to see what he was saying.

            “It’s our pleasure,” Hermione responded.

            Later that evening, after Harry and the other Slytherins had been ushered up to bed, Sirius, Remus, Severus, and Minerva were sitting in the potions master’s office, sipping cups of tea.  Remus was busy telling Sirius and Minerva about everything that had happened in the last little while, from the day Harry had his first flying lesson, to the Quidditch match earlier.

            “I’ve never seen so much trouble attracted to a single child,” Severus said.

            “Well, I don’t know about that.  You four boys were quite the troublemakers when you were at school,” Minerva put in.

            “Yes, but we made our own trouble, while trouble seems to follow Harry around.  There’s got to be something we’re missing,” Sirius said.  “Now, Neville’s broom was also jerking around like Harry’s did today?  Could it have been jinxed by the same person, maybe as a way to test their spell?”

            “It’s possible.  But that would mean that Quirrell was attacking Neville as well.  Both boys could have died that day, and Harry came very close to falling today.  He was only holding on by one hand when Hermione distracted Quirrell,” Severus said.

            “And then there was the troll last night.  Quirrell was the one that told us the troll was in the dungeon, and then suddenly, its attacking three first-year students in the girl’s bathroom.  Not to mention the student that used the Cruciatus curse on Hermione.  The poor girl is still weak from that experience.  It’s a miracle that she was well enough to act this morning when Harry’s broom started trying to buck him off,” Remus added.

            Severus scowled deeply.  “There are dark things happening in the school.  Since Albus is Headmaster, I was forced to inform him of everything that has happened, as well as our suspicions of Quirrell.”

            “What did he say to that?” Minerva asked.

            “He said that we had no solid proof, and he refused to conduct an investigation on Quirrell.  He said that, as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Quirrell was best suited for trying to counteract the jinx as well as fight the troll.”

            Sirius straightened.  “So, Dumbledore isn’t going to do anything?  Even though Harry’s nearly died three times this semester!  That’s outrageous!”

            “What should we do?” Remus asked.

            “The Ministry has refused to process my request that Harry be given to one of us rather than go back to the Dursleys until next summer.  When I showed them the Potters’ will, they laughed in my face and told me they had more important things to do.  So, like it or not, I can’t do anything about Harry’s situation at the moment.  I think it might be better if I come back to Hogwarts for the time being,” Minerva said.

            “Why don’t you and Black find a place where Harry can stay with you.  That way he has a place to go to.  And, if need be, I’m sure he would let us take him straight there from Hogwarts, regardless of what the Ministry and Dumbledore say,” Severus said.

            Sirius sat back thoughtfully.  He knew of a place that would be extremely well protected, a place where Harry would be safe.  The only problem was, it was currently a house of dark magic.  “Since I’m the last living male in the Black line, I automatically am the heir of the Black fortune, including Grimmauld Place.  If Remus and I worked on it, I think we could get it inhabitable by Christmas time.  That way, Harry could have a place to go over the holidays.”

            Remus eyed the Animagus sharply.  “Sirius, are you sure?  You hate that house.  We could always find another place.”

            “No, I think if we get rid of all of the horrible things there, it would be a lovely place for Harry to grow up.  Although, we might need to get rid of Kreacher.  He doesn’t like me very much.”

            Minerva was nodding.  “Yes, I think that could work.  It’s already linked to the Floo Network, we would just have to make sure that the people you don’t want to have access to the place are unable to Floo there.  Although, I would recommend leaving the Malfoys on there, since Harry and Draco have formed a bond.  Not to mention, I have a feeling that Narcissa and Draco won’t want much to do with Lucius in the future.  Especially with the way he voted today.”

            “Then it’s settled.  Remus and I will head over to Grimmauld Place tomorrow morning, after we say good-bye to Harry, of course.  We might need your help with some of the parts of the house.  I’m not entirely sure what we’ll find in there, but I know for sure that there is some pretty dark magic,” Sirius said thoughtfully with Remus nodding his head.  If Sirius was fine with it, then so was he.  Besides, he didn’t really have any properties.  His lease for his apartment had expired a couple weeks prior, and his parents’ cottage was where he went to transform.  It was currently in shambles, and a bit too small for the three of them, Severus, Minerva, and the many students that were bound to come visiting.

            “Then we are all in agreement?” Severus said.  They all nodded.  “Minerva and I will try to keep an eye on Quirrell, stopping any attacks he has planned before he has a chance to put them into motion.  We might even use some Veritaserum on him.”

            “I do hope that won’t be necessary, Severus.  But if it is, I still have two of the bottles that you gave me.  They are back at my room at the Leaky Cauldron.  I’ll fetch them in the morning,” Minerva decided.

            The four adults stood up and each retired to their own quarters, Sirius following Remus, since he doubted either of the other professors would want him sleeping in their room.  The Animagus had a certain spring in his step.  Although his godson was being targeted, he got to see him again and he was reunited with Remus.  He was happy for the first time in a decade.


	8. Fluffy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy is introduced and Filch is horrible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Harry Potter. If I did, you can bet your bottom dollar that Fred and Remus and Sirius and so many others wouldn't have died. I like putting my characters through the ringer, but I'm not cruel enough to kill off beloved characters. Dumbledore, though? Yeah, he's probably going to die.

            Harry was in the library trying to write his potions essay with Ron, Hermione, and Draco studying with him.  Ron was slowly getting better at signing, and Mione and Draco were helping him practice.  It was rather amusing to see him mess up sentences, especially when he said something he certainly didn’t mean.  Harry had nearly laughed out loud when he watched Ron sign: **I’m in love with potatoes.**   Especially since he knew that Ron was trying to say he wanted to eat potatoes.

            It was a little difficult trying to get his homework done when three of his friends were signing right next to him.  But the essay was due in two days, and he still needed to write an entire foot.

            Someone tapped his shoulder, startling Harry out of his thoughts.  (He still expected to get hit by whoever was trying to get his attention.  It was a leftover reaction to living with the Dursleys.)  He looked up and saw Neville standing next to their table.

            “Oh, hey Neville.  What’s up?”  
            “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.  I found something that you guys should come and see,” he said, addressing the entire group.

            They all shared a look before Harry responded.  “Well, I’ve barely been able to focus.  Would do me some good to take a break from writing this essay.  Let’s go see what you’ve found.”

            The four of them trooped out of the library, making sure to make as little noise as possible since Madame Pince was on the prowl.  Neville led them through a series of passages that the twins had probably shown all of the Gryffindor first years the very first day.  When they came out of the last one, Harry was extremely lost.  He normally had a great sense of direction and could tell exactly where they were in the castle, but those passageways had messed with his inner map.

            “Neville, where are we exactly?”  
            “The third floor.  It’s around here somewhere, in one of the empty classrooms.”

            They tried to open several doors, but all of them were locked.  “Are you sure it’s on this floor?” asked Harry.  Neville had a bit of a reputation of getting lost on his way around the castle.

            “I’m sure it’s in this corridor.  I recognize that painting of the walrus down there.”

            It was then that they heard (all but Harry of course) Filch’s voice coming from around the corner.  Filch had had it out for Harry since the first week of school, and his friends actively tried to keep Harry away from the caretaker.  Especially when he was in one of his moods, as he was then.

            **Filch is coming!** Hermione signed.  (The sign they had given to Filch was a rather rude gesture, that I’d rather not repeat.)  They tried a couple more doors, finding that all of them were locked, and rather than face the wrath of the caretaker, Hermione whipped out her wand and whispered “ _Alohomora._ ”

            The lock clicked and the five students tumbled through the doorway, before Hermione closed it softly, not wanting to attract unwanted attention.  They all held their breath until they heard Filch go past the door they had gone through and around the corner at the end of the hall.

            Hermione let out a sigh of relief, but that was short lived when Neville tugged on her arm, trying to get her attention.  “What is it Neville?” she hissed.

            “Look.”

            Harry was sitting on the ground in front of the most massive dog any of them had ever seen.  It had three heads, six beady black eyes, and paws the size of an armchair.  And it was standing over Harry and growling.

            Ron tried to dart forward to drag Harry away from the beast, but two of the heads snapped at him and nearly bit his arm.  The redhead hastily backtracked from the dog.  “What do we do?” he asked hoarsely.

            Harry, however, was completely unconcerned.  He stood up and turned towards the dog.  “Hi, big girl,” he said soothingly.  “I’ve never seen you before.  This is a strange place to find a three-headed dog.  What are you doing here?”

            At the sound of Harry’s voice, the dog immediately stopped growling and leaned down her three heads to be pet by the little human in front of her.  This particular dog had been bred to recognize power and kindness, and she sensed both in great abundance.  Harry gladly obliged the dog and scratched her behind her ears.

            Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something that didn’t really seem to belong in the room.  There was what looked like a trapdoor on the ground, and Harry eyed it curiously.  “Are you guarding something, girl?  Is that why you’re all cooped up in this castle?”

            She let out a whine, shaking her great rump and her tail moving back and forth.  “You kind of remind me of Sirius when he turns into a dog.  You’ve got that look in your eyes that says you know something, but can’t tell anyone.  I’m sure Hagrid knows about you.  Maybe he can take you for a walk sometimes, get out of this dark room.  It can’t be good for your health.”

            The dog let out a little yip, that really sounded like a giant bass drum, in agreement.  “How about I help you get out of here once in a while, and in return, I’ll make sure to eat everything on my plate for a week.  That’s a good deal, right?  That way we both are being taken care of.”

            Hermione, Ron, Draco, and Neville watched the interaction with great interest.  Harry had already shown that he was able to win over the hearts of any person he interacted with, and evidently, he had the same effect on animals.  They took a hesitant step forward, and the Cerberus immediately raised her head and let out a dangerous growl.

            Harry noticed immediately and turned to look at his friends.  “Hey, girl, it’s okay.  They’re my friends.  They take care of me.”

            She settled down a little bit, but they could tell her hackles were still raised and she didn’t want them coming closer than the doorway.

            “It’s probably getting really late, and it’s time for me to go eat dinner.  I’ll come back and visit you tomorrow, though,” Harry said, as he stepped away from his new friend.  She whined a little and nosed at Harry’s robes.  “I know, you’re probably really lonely.  I understand that.  I swear I’ll come visit you.  I’ll have Hermione teach me the unlocking spell she used to get in, and I’ll give you all the pets in the world.”

            The tail thumped twice and the dog let out a mournful howl as the students left the room, after first checking that the coast was clear.  Together, they headed down to the Great Hall.

            **How did you do that?** Ron asked Harry incredulously.

            **Do what?**

**I don’t know, get close to that dog and not get torn to shreds?**

**She was just lonely, Ron.  I don’t know why she wouldn’t let you guys closer.**

**Well, in the future, I’m not coming with you to visit that beast.  She was too scary.**   Ron shuddered at the thought of those massive jaws clamping down around his neck.  He was in no hurry to die, and the dog seemed to like Harry just fine.  He was probably safer with her than with the rest of the first years.

            “Hey, Neville,” Harry said out loud, since his friend was struggling with BSL.  It was easier to communicate this way.  “What did you want to show us?”

            “Oh, there was this incredible mirror that Seamus and Dean found the other day.  We each see something different in it.  We figured it tells us what we want most in the world.  I figured you would want to see that.”

            “That does sound pretty cool.  Maybe we can search for it again sometime,” Harry said.  “For now, let’s get to the Great Hall.  I think we’re having chicken pot pie tonight.”

            The friends nodded eagerly.  Ron was especially fond of chicken pot pies, and he wanted to make sure he had plenty of time to enjoy his favorite food.  Neville elected to sit with the Slytherins that day.  He spent nearly half his time at their table, and the other half at the Gryffindor table.  (Since there were technically no rules about sitting at a house table that you didn’t belong in, Neville couldn’t get into trouble.  Besides, all the teachers were rather pleased that Slytherins and Gryffindors were finally getting along.  House unity and all that.)

            “What do you suppose was under the trapdoor,” Harry asked his friends as he took a tiny slice of pie.

            Ron watched his best friend struggle to eat so little food, and he strengthened his resolve to find a solution for Harry’s eating habits.  “I don’t know mate.  I didn’t really notice a trapdoor.  I was a bit busy looking at the heads. There were three of them, you know.”

            “I suppose that it is probably dangerous if they need a Cerberus to guard it.  That or extremely valuable.  I mean, Hogwarts is supposed to be the safest place on earth, besides Gringotts of course,” Hermione said.

            Neville was silent for a moment before he brightened.  “Do you guys remember the newspaper article, the second day we were here at Hogwarts.  There was a vault that was broken into at Gringotts.  They said it had been emptied earlier that same day.”

            “What day was that?” Harry asked.

            “August 1st, I think.  I remember because it was the day after I went to Diagon Alley with my Gran,” Neville responded.

            “That’s the same day I went with Hagrid.  I remember Hagrid emptying out vault 713.  There was a grubby little package in it, about this size.”  Harry made a vague motion with his hands, indicating how big the package was.  “Maybe that’s what she’s guarding.”

            A large hand landed on Harry’s shoulder, nearly shoving his face into his pie.  He looked up into the big, hairy face that was beaming down at Harry.  “Hi Hagrid.  Oh, before I forget, I met a big three-headed dog today on the third floor.  I think she’s lonely, and she could probably use a walk.”

            “You met ______?”  Hagrid said.  It was rather difficult for Harry to read the big man’s lips because of his beard.

            “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.  I met who?”  
            Hermione tapped Harry’s arm and finger-spelled F-L-U-F-F-Y.

            “Oh, is her name Fluffy?”

            Hagrid nodded.  He felt rather bad that Harry had a hard time communicating with him, and he had offered to shave his beard at the first of the semester.  The look of absolute horror on the boy’s face was enough to persuade him otherwise.  “It would be far too strange,” he remembered Harry saying.

            “What were you doin’ there?” Hagrid asked Harry, with Hermione interpreting as needed.

            “We were running from Filch.  He doesn’t like me very much, and we happened to be outside that door,” said Harry.

            “Oh, well, you probably shouldn’t go back there.  Wouldn’t want you to get into trouble, now would we.”

            “But I promised I’d visit her again.  Fluffy was so lonely, and I couldn’t let her stay all cooped up in the dark without someone to come and visit her.”  It wasn’t often that Harry talked about his past with the Dursleys, but both Ron and Hermione realized that he was speaking from experience.  They had left him in the dark, alone, and not able to hear anything.  They felt absolutely sick.  Ron pushed his plate away, not having an appetite any more.

            “Ya shouldn’t go meddlin’ in things that ought not to be meddled in.  You could get hurt, an’ I won’t let that happ’n,” Hagrid said.  “I’ll make sure she’s taken care of, but you steer clear of that place, you here?”

            Harry reluctantly nodded.  He wanted to see his new friend, but he didn’t want to get into trouble.  He had yet to serve a detention that year, and he wasn’t planning on getting one any time soon.

            **Maybe he’ll let you help him when he takes her on a walk.  Or maybe he’ll let you help feed her.**   Hermione patted Harry’s shoulder comfortingly.  **Now, why don’t you try to finish that slice of pie and finish your pumpkin juice.**

            Harry nodded sullenly, and shoved a bite into his mouth.  Hermione chuckled to herself.  He could be so dramatic, sometimes.  She caught Draco’s eye from across the table.  He glanced at their friend with a worried expression.  While he wasn’t entirely sure why Harry was so malnourished, he wanted to help make sure he was healthy again.  In a way, he was the best at getting Harry to eat, knowing how the boy ticked.

            Later that evening, Hermione was reading a book on refugee children and how to get them healthier, when she had an idea.  She ran down to the common room and tapped Ron on the shoulder.  “I have an idea on how to get Harry to eat more.  Come on, we need to go talk to Professor Snape.”

            Ron immediately stood up from where he was worrying over the potions essay and followed her out to the potions master’s office.  It wasn’t far from their common room, since he needed to be close by in case something happened in the dormitories.  They knocked on the door and opened it when they heard him tell them to enter.

            “Professor, I have an idea on how to get Harry to eat more.  I’ve been researching on how to help him gain weight, and I came across this book that suggested eating several small meals throughout the day.  Basically, snacking.  I’m not sure how to implement it, though.  I mean, he needs iron and calcium and several other vitamins and minerals, but it would be difficult to carry those with us throughout the day.”

            Snape nodded thoughtfully.  “What if we had containers that had cooling charms placed on them.  He could eat apples, small sandwiches, peanuts and other nuts, maybe even some yogurt.  I could also place a spell on them that would link them directly to the kitchens.”

            Ron spoke up, “My mum has a few spells that she uses to keep things cool when we’re packing lunches for a picnic.  I could owl her and ask her for them.”

            “That’s a good idea.  Molly Weasley is much better at the domestic spells like that than I am,” Snape said.

            “Ooh, and I could ask my parents to send me some Tupper-ware.  They’re small enough that they won’t be in the way, and I’m sure the other professors wouldn’t mind if Harry ate in their classrooms.  Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick would probably encourage it, while Professor Binns wouldn’t even notice.  Obviously, he couldn’t eat during Potions or Herbology because we wouldn’t want him to accidentally ingest something dangerous,” Hermione said.

            “This is a wonderful plan.  Ten points to the both of you for your clever thinking and concern for a fellow student.  I’ll give you both a note so you can go to the owlery and send those notes immediately,” Snape said as he whipped out two small pieces of parchment paper.

            “Thank you, Professor.  Hopefully we can get Harry to a healthy weight by the end of the semester.”

            “That would be an ideal goal.”  Professor Snape handed over the parchments and ushered them out of his office.  It was a good thing that Harry had such wonderful friends that truly cared about him.


	9. Astronomy Tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They get a scary note and where's Harry?

            When Christmas time came, Harry eyed the sign-up list for those students that planned to spend the holiday at the castle.  He knew he didn’t want to go back to the Dursleys for Christmas, but he also wanted to see Sirius and Remus again.  He hadn’t seen them since the day Sirius was declared innocent by the Wizengamot, and he was anxious to see his godfathers again.  As of yet, though, he hadn’t heard anything about the coming holidays from them.

            Hesitantly, Harry signed his name on the sheet.  He left the common room in favor of going up to his dormitory.  Theo and Blaise were busy playing a rather vicious game of Gobstones in the corner while Vincent and Gregory were on their way down to the Great Hall for a snack.  Harry sat on his bed and looked out at the fish in the Black Lake.  He had seen a few merpeople swim by and was attempting to teach them sign language in order to talk to them.  Now, though, he only saw a couple grindylows attack an unsuspecting fish.

            He pulled out his Transfiguration textbook and looked ahead at the lessons.  Remus had been a wonderful teacher, and so was Minnie, but Harry had to read more than the other students in order to understand what was going on.  He had the magic down, and could transfigure almost anything on his first try, but the essays on the theory of transfiguration were extremely difficult for him.

            One of the nice things about not being able to hear was that he was able to focus really well on his homework.  He didn’t have to worry about people being too loud or blasting their music.  It was rather nice, especially when he needed to focus on a difficult subject.  And so, he was far too focused on understanding the recent Transfiguration lessons that he didn’t realize when Blaise and Theo left and the sky grew dark.

            He definitely noticed, however, when Ron came bursting in, Draco and Hermione hot on his tail.  **Harry, why did you sign up to stay at Hogwarts for the break?**   Ron was getting much better, and he was able to put his emotions into his gestures, conveying the tone of voice that Harry missed.

            **Well, I certainly wasn’t going to go to the Dursleys for Christmas.  I’d rather not be yelled at for the holidays.** Harry made a face at the thought.  Besides, Aunt Minnie, Severus, Moony, and Sirius had all promised that he would never have to see his relatives again, and he knew they would do their best to prevent that.

            **Ron, we forgot to tell Harry.** Hermione shook her head.  **A letter came for you yesterday when Madame Pomfrey was doing your monthly check-up.  Professor Lupin said that they have been working on getting a house ready for you to live with them, and it’s finally done.  They said that, if you want, you can spend Christmas there.**

            Harry beamed at the idea.  He hadn’t even considered that his godfathers were preparing a place for him to live.  He was thrilled, to say the least.  **I’m going to go take my name off the list, then.**

 **I wish I could go home.  Mum and Dad are visiting Charlie in Romania for the holidays.  We’re all going to stay here this year.**   Ron looked a little put out by the idea.

            **How about I write to Sirius and see if he and Remus would be willing to let you stay with us.  I’m not sure if they’ll say yes, but it’s worth a shot,** Harry suggested to his best friend.  **I’ll go write them right now.**

            Harry scribbled on a piece of paper and darted out of the dormitory, papers fluttering in his wake.  Draco chuckled fondly.  “Do you know what you’re doing for Christmas, Hermione?”

            “My parents have already asked me to come with them.  We’re going to go visit my grandparents in France.  I haven’t seen them since I was little, and I’m quite excited.  We’re going to go to Paris, which is one of the most magical cities in the world.  I want to see the ghosts of the French nobility in Notre Dame.  You know they’ve been there since the French Revolution.  I especially want to talk to Marie Antoinette,” gushed Hermione.

            “What’s the French Revolution?” Draco asked.  And with that question, the two friends launched into a discussion about France and other significant events in muggle history.

Ron thought that his father would have loved to listen to this conversation, but he wasn’t particularly thrilled.  Suddenly, a thought occurred to the redhead.  “We didn’t tell Harry about our plan to help him eat.  He left before we had a chance.”

            “Oh, bother,” Hermione cursed.  “We’ll have to wait until he gets back or just tell him tomorrow at breakfast.”  
            “Well, it’s too late in the evening to start now.  It would probably be better to just tell him in the morning.  That way, we can start immediately,” Ron suggested.

            Hermione nodded.  Harry could spend the evening excited about the upcoming holiday with his godfathers without having to worry about his own health.  He was still skinny, and though he never mentioned it, all of his friends had noticed him shivering in the drafty castle.  Ron had tried to give Harry some of his sweaters, but the boy still struggled with accepting help.  They wanted nothing more than for Harry to be healthy and safe, but he was not, and so they worked to try to help him in any way they could.

            Ron threw himself onto his bed, digging out his copy of _Quidditch Through the Ages_ and reading about the worst fouls known to the wizarding world.  He read the accounts of the best World Cup games, particularly focusing on the ones where England won.  He tuned out his two friends as they discussed some obscure fact about muggles.  He wasn’t interested in that sort of knowledge.

            Gregory came into the room.  “Hey Ron, Neville is waiting outside the common room.  He said it’s rather urgent for him to speak to you.”

            “Oh, thanks Greg.”  Ron swung his legs off of his bed and trudged down the stairs to the doorway.  “Hey, Neville.  What’s up?”

            “Um, I found this in the Gryffindor common room.  I think you should take a look at it.  I’m not entirely sure what it means, but I don’t think it’s good.”

            Neville handed Ron a parchment paper.  He read through the note, and his face visibly paled.  “Come on Neville.  Hermione and Draco need to see this.”  He held open the door for his friend, and led him up the stairs to his dormitory.  “Mione, Draco, look at this.”

            Hermione took the parchment and read it.  “Oh my.  We have to do something.  Tell McGonagall or Snape.”

            It read:

            _ **Stay away from the Sorcerer’s Stone or Harry will pay the price.**_

            “Do we even know what the Sorcerer’s Stone is?” asked Ron.

            “Oh, hold on a minute.  I’ve got a book in my dormitory that talks about the Sorcerer’s Stone.  I checked it several weeks ago for light reading.”  And with that, Hermione ran out of the room.  The boys just exchanged glances of confusion.  They didn’t even bother to try to understand Hermione at that point.

            She came barreling back into the room a few moments later, a large book held tightly in her arms.  Ron stared at her incredulously.  “You call that light reading?”  She just glared at him.

            “Okay, here it is.   _The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with the making of the Sorcerer’s Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers.  The stone will transform any metal into pure gold.  It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal._

_“There have been many reports of the Sorcerer’s Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover.  Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight)._

“Nicolas Flamel is one of the most famous sorcerers of all time.  But he’s not in any of the more recent books on modern advances in alchemy because he’s so old.”

            “Why is someone threatening us to stay away from the Sorcerer’s Stone?” Draco asked.

            “It must be what that dog was guarding,” Neville said.  “I mean, it’s one of the most rare and powerful substances in the world, and it can’t be much bigger than the parcel Harry saw Hagrid take out of Gringotts.”

            “Why is this person threatening Harry, though.  He hasn’t hurt anyone,” said Ron.

            “I don’t know, but I think maybe we should talk to the rest of the Slytherins in our year.  See if we can get them to help us protect Harry.  You gather all the boys, and I’ll get the girls.  We’ll meet up here in five minutes,” Hermione instructed before hurrying off once more.

            Draco went down to the common room and found Blaise, Theo, and Gregory in an intense round of Gobstones, while Vincent was munching on some chocolate frogs nearby.  “Hey you lot.  We’ve got a bit of a situation.  Come up to our dormitory.”

            “Ah, Malfoy, I’m about to beat these two losers,” Blaise said, not bothering to raise his eyes to look at the blonde.

            “Look, someone’s threatening the safety of Harry.  We need to talk.  Hermione is getting the girls.”

            “Does this have to do with Longbottom?” Goyle asked.

            “In a way.  He found the message.  I’m not sure why they delivered it to him, but either way, it’s threatening one of us.  Now come on,” Draco ordered.

            With some grumbling involved, the boys gathered up their things and trooped up the stairs to the dormitory.  Hermione was already there with the girls.

            “What’s this all about?” Pansy demanded.  “Mia only said that it was urgent.”  
            Draco picked up the note and read it aloud to the gathered students.  “Neville found this in his common room and brought it to us.  If anyone threatens Harry, it’s our business.”

            “What’s this about the Sorcerer’s Stone?” Theo asked.

            “There’s only one in existence and it gives the owner immortality and never-ending gold,” Ron answered.

            “What does this have to do with Harry?” Daphne asked.

            “We don’t know.  But someone is threatening Slytherins.  The attack on Hermione on Halloween, Harry’s broom, and now this,” Draco said.

            “Wait, maybe it’s just people that are friends with Harry.  Remember, Neville’s broom acted just like Harry’s did.  What if we are all being targeted?” Hermione said.

            “What should we do about it?  Shouldn’t we just tell Professor Snape and let him deal with it?” asked Millicent.

            “We could.  I mean, I’m planning on showing this note to Professor Snape, but I figured we could talk about it amongst ourselves for now.  I’m just really worried about Harry,” said Hermione.

            “No one is hurting him if I can help it,” glowered Pansy.  All of the Slytherins knew that she was fiercely protective of the small boy, even going so far as to claim him as her younger brother.  Not to mention, she was rather terrifying, and anyone who knew her, knew better than to cross her.

            “Maybe we just make sure that none of us go anywhere alone.  They won’t be able to hurt us that way, or they’ll have to take out two of us,” suggested Blaise.

            “That could work,” piped up Ron.  He knew that he wouldn’t be letting Harry out of his sights any time soon.  He turned to look at his best friend, and noticed that not only had he not been participating, he wasn’t anywhere in the room.  “Hang on.  Where’s Harry?”

            “He went to send a letter to Professor Lupin and Sirius,” Hermione reminded Ron.

            “Wasn’t that nearly an hour and a half ago?” said Ron.

            Hermione’s eyes widened.  “You’re right.  It shouldn’t have taken him that long to send a letter.”

            “Oh no, this is just like the day of our first flying lesson,” groaned Draco.

            Together, the first year Slytherins and Neville ran down the stairs, through the common room, out of the door and to Professor Snape’s office.  Hermione pounded on the door, not caring about being polite.

            Snape whipped the door open and glared at the first years.  “What is it?”

            “Professor, Harry’s gone.  He went to send a letter to Sirius and Professor Lupin over an hour and a half ago, and he hasn’t come back yet,” Hermione gasped out.

            The sallow face paled even more, and he immediately sent off a Patronus Charm.  “If any teacher stops you, tell them that Harry is missing again, and you have permission to be out of bed.  Longbottom, Weasley, you check with Hagrid and see if Harry’s been down there.  Make sure you check the grounds and the dungeons too.  Malfoy, Granger, head up to the owlery then check the Astronomy Tower.  Parkinson, Bullstrode, and Greengrass, you check the first three floors, while Zabini and Nott check the fourth and fifth floor.  Crabbe and Goyle, I want you to check the hospital wing and the sixth and seventh floor.  I’ll go gather the teachers.  If you find him, bring him to the teacher’s lounge or the hospital wing.  If you do not find him in the places that I assigned to you, head back to the common room and wait there.”

            The group began running immediately.  Snape ran in front of the students, making a beeline to the other houses to enlist the heads to look for the missing boy.  Draco and Hermione separated from the group second, since Neville and Ron stayed in the dungeons.  They ran outside and over to the owlery, climbing the icy steps as fast as they could.  While Draco’s legs were longer and he was able to take bigger steps, Hermione was quicker and so they reached the owlery about the same time.  They looked through the large room, trying to see through all of the flapping wings as the birds were disturbed.

            “He’s not over here,” Hermione called out.  Draco responded the same.  Quickly, Hermione glanced around the room and noticed that the large, snowy owl was not there.  She was usually at her perch by this time of night, and so Harry must have already sent his letter.

            “Hedwig’s gone, so Harry was here,” said the black-skinned witch.  “Come on.”

            They ran down the tower and back into the castle.  They couldn’t see any of their classmates, but they figured that they were all searching diligently.  Instead, they saw several ghosts floating around the corridors.  Sir Nicholas was calling Harry’s name, so Hermione figured that Professor Snape had enlisted their help in the search.

            Draco and Hermione paused for a moment to catch their breath.  All of this running was rather exhausting, particularly with how cold it had been.  “Oh, I hope Harry’s not on the Astronomy Tower again.  It took him days to warm up completely,” Draco muttered under his breath.

            They took off again and were nearing the entrance to the Astronomy Tower when a dark figure stopped them.  “Where do you think you’re going, hmm?”

            Argus Filch stepped out of the shadows, and seized both students by the arms.  “Students out of bed.  I’ll have to report you to Professor Snape.”

            “Professor Snape told us to be here.  Our friend is missing and we’re trying to find him,” Hermione tried to explain, but Filch only tightened his grip on her arm, causing the girl to cry out.

            “Mione!  Unhand her you wretch.  We are on a mission from Professor Snape,” Draco ordered.

            “Sorry, laddie, but I expect you’ll have to serve a detention.  I wish they still used the old punishments.  I would like to see you hanging from your thumbs in my office for your disrespect,” Filch growled.

            They were dragged away from the Astronomy Tower and back down towards the dungeons, both students fighting and kicking the entire way.  They had made it to the third floor when the group ran into Professor McGonagall.

            “Mr. Filch!  What on earth are you doing?”

            “I found these students out of bed, sneaking up to the Astronomy Tower.  No doubt to have a romantic rendezvous.”

            “Mr. Filch, they are supposed to be out of bed.  They are looking for a missing student and were sent there by Severus.  Now, let them go, and go to your office to polish your chains.  There are several students out searching, and I don’t want you to disrupt them,” McGonagall ordered sharply.  Filch promptly let go of their arms, muttering apologies to the severe woman.  He disappeared down the hall.

            “You okay, Mione?” Draco asked.

            “Yeah, I think he just bruised my arm,” she said as she rubbed where Filch had grabbed her.  “I hate that man.  But I’ve dealt with much worse.  Now come on.  We’ve got to get back to the Astronomy Tower.  Thank you, Professor,” she called over her shoulder as she began to run.

            Draco took off after her, not wanting to leave Hermione alone.  She was one of the students that had been attacked in the last few months, after all.  And he wasn’t about to lose one of his closest friends.

            The stairs up the Astronomy Tower were steep and long, and by the time they got to the top, both students had had to take several breaks in order to catch their breath.  Looking around, the tower itself was empty, but they weren’t able to see the balcony that ran all the way around.  Hermione pulled her wand out, whispering “ _Lumos_ ” and crept through the single doorway.

            “I’ll go right, you go left and we’ll meet in the middle.  If you find Harry, shout and I’ll do the same,” Hermione said.

            Draco nodded reluctantly, but recognized the need for haste in finding Harry.  He turned to the left and started to run, lighting his wand as he went so he wouldn’t miss his friend in the corners.  There was no sign of Harry Potter.

            He heard Hermione call his name, and ran faster, coming around the bend and seeing Hermione standing, frozen.

            “What is it Hermione?  Did you find Harry?”

            She nodded and pointed up.  He was upside down, suspended by something invisible, blood dripping off of his face.  His shirt was in complete tatters and Draco could see the scars that crisscrossed his friend’s torso.  Draco felt sick.  “What do we do?” he whispered.

            “I’m not sure.  I’ve never seen a spell like this before.  I don’t know how to get him down without injuring him even more.  It looks like someone hit him with a whip.”

            Indeed, on top of the old scars, there were several fresh cuts, oozing blood, and several more that looked like they were starting to scab over.

            “He’s been up there awhile.  I’ll go and get Madame Pomfrey; I’m sure she’ll know what to do.  You stay here and see what you can do for him.  I don’t think you should try to get him down though,” Draco said.

            Hermione nodded in response, taking in a deep breath to try to clear her head.  Draco nodded once and then ran the way Hermione had come.  It took him far too long to reach the hospital wing on the fifth floor, and when he burst in, he startled Madame Pomfrey.

            “My goodness, boy.  What are you doing, throwing around doors like that?  Don’t you know I have patients that need their sleep?” she scolded.

            “I’m sorry Madame Pomfrey, but I found Harry.  He’s in bad shape.  He’s up on the Astronomy Tower.  It looks like someone beat him,” Draco gasped out.

            “Show me,” she commanded.  She sent off a Patronus charm for Severus to let him know where Harry was, and set off after Draco.  They weren’t able to go nearly as fast, since they had to climb several sets of stairs to reach the base of the Astronomy Tower.

            By the time they arrived at the top, Madame Pomfrey was huffing and puffing, desperately pulling air into her lungs.  “Show me where Harry is,” she said in between gasps.

            Draco led her onto the balcony and around to where he had left Hermione watching over Harry.  “Mione, it’s us.  Is there any change?”

            “I think he’s getting colder.  And being upside down for so long is not healthy for him.”

            “Where’s Harry Potter?” Madame Pomfrey demanded.

            Both students pointed upwards.  The Healer gasped in shock.  “We’ve never seen a spell like that, and I didn’t want to try anything in case it hurt him more than he already is,” Hermione said.

            “This is a dark spell.  We’d best wait for Severus to get here.  In the meantime, I’m going to try to heal some of those wounds on his torso.”

            The students waited in silence for a few moments while Madame Pomfrey muttered complex spells under her breath, trying to heal some of his injuries.  Finally, Draco plucked up the courage to ask a question that had been floating around in the back of his mind since he had seen his friend’s torso.  “Why does he have so much scarring?”

            Madame Pomfrey glanced at him, giving him a weak smile.  “When Harry was a baby, and defeated You-Know-Who, Dumbledore ignored the Potters’ will and left him on the doorstep of his mother’s sister.  They are muggles, and the worst kind there is.  I’ve seen some rather horrible cases of abuse, but what they did to this poor child can never be forgiven.  I didn’t see the memories that Harry gave Severus and Minerva, but I do know that it’s because of them that he’s deaf.  They were the ones that starved and beat him.”

            “That’s awful!” Draco exclaimed.  “Are all muggles like that?”

            At this Hermione punched his arm.  “No, of course not.  My parents are wonderful, and so are all of my aunts and uncles and cousins.  Most muggles think this kind of behavior is disgusting.  It’s like in the wizarding world.  There are those wizards that come from Slytherin that are evil, but that doesn’t mean all Slytherins are evil.  In fact, most of us are wonderful.”

            Draco looked relieved at this.  He had spent the past few months learning about muggles in a way his father would never allow.  He had come to love their culture, and wanted to know even more.  But the thought that they were all horrible like that, had made Draco consider that maybe his father’s views on muggles and muggleborns were right, despite everything Hermione had told him.  He was immensely relieved that not all muggles treated children like that.

            Professor Snape found them a few minutes later.  By that time, both Hermione and Draco were freezing and were huddling close together to try to share the other’s body heat.  They couldn’t even imagine how Harry was feeling.

            “Where’s Harry?” Snape demanded.

            Again, the two students pointed up at the dangling figure.  Snape swore and immediately rolled up his sleeves.

            “Get ready to catch him with a Cushioning Charm, Poppy.  The counter-curse is not gentle.”  He waved his wand, and whatever was holding Harry up let go, and he fell face-first towards the floor.  Thankfully, Madame Pomfrey was rather quick with her wand, and was able to catch the child.  Snape conjured a stretcher, and together, they lifted Harry onto it.

            “Thank you for finding Harry.  You both did extremely well.  Go find your classmates, and let them know that you found him.  You should also let any professors and ghosts that you come across know as well,” Severus ordered.  Draco and Hermione nodded and turned to head back inside when Snape stopped them.  “I don’t want to know if Longbottom stays the night in the Slytherin dormitories.  Understood?”

            Both students nodded and left the tower.  They spent a few minutes on the landing at the base of the stairs huddled around a small fire Hermione conjured.  When they could both feel their fingers and toes again, the two set off towards the seventh floor, deciding to work their way down towards the dungeons.  After thoroughly searching the seventh and sixth floors, only stopping once to tell the Fat Friar that the missing student had been found, they found Theo and Blaise checking classrooms on the fifth floor.

            “Blaise, Theo!  Hold up,” Hermione called as she and Draco jogged to catch up to their friends.  “We found Harry.  Professor Snape told us to head down to the dungeons.  Draco and I are finding everyone and letting them know.”

            “How is Harry?” Theo asked, his concern obvious in his voice.

            “He’s in bad shape.  Someone must have attacked him,” Draco said, solemnly.

            Blaise and Theo just nodded.  “Do you want any help locating the others?” Blaise asked.

            “No, I think we should all just head to the common room.  That way, we can update everyone at the same time,” said Hermione.

            They split ways, and Draco and Hermione finished searching the sixth floor for any ghosts or professors.  On the fifth floor, they ran into Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout.  The two teachers were solemn and hurried off to the hospital wing where Snape and Madame Pomfrey had surely moved Harry to by now.

            On the fourth floor, they once again found McGonagall, and relayed the message.  “I should go notify Remus and Sirius,” she muttered and rushed to her office, no doubt to Floo Harry’s godfathers.  They also found the three girls in the company of Sir Nicholas, Peeves, and the Bloody Baron.  Hermione told them that Harry had been found, and that he was in the hospital wing.  The girls went down to the dungeons while Hermione and Draco continued their quest to find professors and ghosts.

            They didn’t find anyone else, and, after stopping briefly in the common room to grab their cloaks and check for Ron and Neville, Draco and Hermione set off into the night to look for the last of their classmates.

            They had, by far, the most area to cover, and so the two Slytherins started with the greenhouses and then checked in with Hagrid.  Ron and Neville were in neither place, and so Hermione lit her wand, casting it about to try to see her friends, and to make them more noticeable.  The half-moon shone down on them, and Draco glanced nervously towards the Dark Forest frequently until Hermione reminded him that werewolves could only change on the full moon.

            Since he was already nervous, when Ron popped up out of nowhere, Draco screeched in fear.  Had he not been so worried for Harry, Ron would have surely teased the blonde about his scream, but as such, he was far more concerned about his best friend.

            “Did you find Harry?” he asked immediately, while he was tugging on Neville’s shoulders.  The poor boy had found one of the rare sink-holes on the Hogwarts ground, and his leg was stuck all the way up to his hip.

            Draco leaned down to help Ron after his heartrate had slowed down a little.  Hermione held her wand up for the boys and answered Ron’s question.

            “We found him up on the Astronomy Tower.”

            “Oh, not again.  Harry needs to stay away from that place,” Ron grumbled.

            “I don’t think he went there voluntarily this time.  He was hanging in the air, upside down, and he was horribly cut up.  The only reason I found him was because a drop of blood landed on my head,” Hermione said.

            With a great heave, Draco and Ron were able to get the Gryffindor out of the hole.  Neville mumbled his thanks and scrambled in the grass for his wand.

            “Come on, let’s get back to the dungeons.  We’ll tell you everything when we’re all together.  The others are waiting in the common room.”  It didn’t take long for the four of them to get back up to the school and down to the Slytherin common room.

            Pansy and Blaise were shouting at each other while Theo was trying to keep Pansy from clawing out Blaise’s eyes.  Greg was laughing at the both of them while Vincent was eating his chocolate frogs from earlier.  Millicent and Daphne were dozing off in an armchair that probably shouldn’t be holding both of them it was so small.

            Hermione ran over to try to help calm the fight down, but neither of them were listening.  Pansy was simply screaming at that point, while Blaise was yelling swear words at her.  Hermione huffed and took a couple steps back before raising her wand in the air.  She let out a big bang, startling everyone in the room.  Pansy and Blaise stopped fighting and immediately turned towards Draco and Hermione.

            “Tell us what happened,” Pansy demanded.  She looked ready to tear somebody’s head off.

            Draco and Hermione shared a look and Hermione took a deep breath.  “Harry was attacked by someone.  We’re not sure who, but I found him on the Astronomy Tower, suspended upside-down in midair.  Madame Pomfrey said that it was a dark spell that was holding him up there.  Harry was beaten rather horribly.  It looked like he was whipped.  He was bleeding badly.  It was horrible.”  Hermione fell silent, the horror of the scene still fresh in her mind.  Draco placed a hand comfortingly on her arm.

            “I went to get Madame Pomfrey and she sent for Professor Snape.  They were able to get Harry down and start treating his wounds.  He’s in the hospital wing now.  We were sent to find you all and let you know that Harry was found,” Draco continued the story.

            “What should we do?” Theo asked.

            “We should go to bed, that way we can get up and visit Harry early tomorrow morning and see how he’s doing,” Ron said.

            “Oh, Neville, you can stay here tonight.  I’m sure Harry wouldn’t mind it if you slept in his bed for one night,” Hermione said as she stopped Neville from leaving the common room.  Draco nodded in agreement.

            “Won’t Professor Snape be upset?” Neville asked worriedly.

            “No, he basically said he would turn a blind eye.  I don’t think he wanted you wandering through the corridors alone tonight.  Especially since Harry was attacked and we have no idea who did it,” said Draco.

            The boys headed up to their dormitory and Hermione followed Millicent and Daphne, tugging Pansy along with them.  “Come on, Pans.  We need our sleep if we’re going to be able to help Harry.”  The girl submitted to Hermione and allowed her to lead her up the stairs to their rooms.

            “What were you fighting with Blaise about?”

            “I wanted to go see Harry, but he told me I shouldn’t.  I got a little angry at him, and started to yell.  I didn’t mean to, honest.  I was just so worried.”

            Hermione put her arm around her roommate.  “I know Pansy.  We’ll go see him in the morning.  Right now, Madame Pomfrey needs the space to help him get better, so when we see him tomorrow, he will be on the road to recovery.”

            “Mia, will you teach me BSL tomorrow?  I wanna be fluent like you and Draco and Harry,” Pansy murmured as she pulled off her robes and got ready for bed.

            “Of course, Pans.  You know I will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, so I'm having a bit of a crisis. Obviously, since they are eleven, I'm not doing ships right now. However, I am tied between Dramione and Fremione. I love both ships so much, but I think I like Fremione more for the character and personality interactions. Dramione, I love what they stand for. Thoughts?


	10. Grimmauld Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry goes to Grimmauld Place for Christmas and finds something surprising.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this is an extremely long chapter. Also, this is one of the chapters that borrows from the books.

            When the morning dawned bright and early, Hermione was one of the first ones out of bed.  She hurried to get dressed and ran down the stairs towards the common room.  She turned the corner where the boys’ dormitory was, and crashed straight into Ron.  They both went sprawling on the landing.

            “I’m so sorry, Ron.  I didn’t mean to run into you,” apologized Hermione as she pushed herself to her feet.  She held her hand out to help Ron up, and he grabbed it gratefully.

            “Don’t mention it.  I imagine you’re going to go see Harry, right?”

            Hermione nodded.  She ducked into the boys’ dormitory quickly and grabbed Harry’s Transfiguration textbook, the book with the snippet about the Sorcerer’s Stone and the threatening note.  She wanted to speak to Professor Snape later that day, if at all possible.

            Ron was waiting for her on the landing.  “Let’s go,” he said softly.

            When they walked into the hospital wing, neither student was surprised to see Remus, Sirius, and Severus all sleeping in chairs around Harry’s bed.  Minerva must have gone to bed some time that night, because she wasn’t there, but Madame Pomfrey was sound asleep on the bed next to Harry.

            **Come on, let’s leave these for Harry.  We don’t want to wake him up,** Hermione signed to Ron.  She held up the Transfiguration book and tip-toed past the sleeping adults.  She wasn’t worried about waking Harry up, but she wanted his guardians to be as well-rested as possible.  Hermione was about to set the book down on the night stand when she noticed a piece of parchment lying there.

            Curious, she picked it up and read it.  Her face paled as much as her dark skin would let her, and she handed the note to Ron.

            _**This is a warning to make sure you listen.  Stay away from the Sorcerer’s Stone.**_

            Hermione dropped the book that she had in her hand, startling the adults awake.  She didn’t notice, however, since she was too busy hyperventilating.  She sat down on the ground and stuck her head between her knees, breathing in big gulps of air as she tried to get her breathing under control.  She felt a hand rubbing her back soothingly, and a cool glass was thrust into her hand.

            Finally, she was able to breathe normally again, and she looked up into the eyes of Sirius Black.  He was supporting her hand on the glass while Remus sat next to her, soothing her.

            “Are you alright, Hermione?” he asked gently.

            Hermione nodded.  She looked around and noticed Madame Pomfrey and Professor Snape fussing over Harry, and for a split moment, she was worried that Harry had actually died.  She realized, though, that they were simply changing his bandages.

            Ron came out of the hospital wing bathroom, looking rather green around the edges, and she guessed that he hadn’t taken the note well either.

            “Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley do you mind telling me what you’re doing up here at this hour?” Snape snapped.

            Hermione looked around for the two notes and snatched them from the floor of the hospital wing.  “We were coming to check on Harry, sir.  We were really worried, especially because we received a threatening note last night before we realized he was missing.”

            “You’re only telling me this now,” Snape glowered.

            “We were going to, but finding Harry was more important at the moment.  And we figured you would be with him, so this could wait until this morning.  I was going to put Harry’s Transfiguration book on the stand when I noticed a bit of parchment.  It was a note, just like the one we received last night.  We’re not sure why Harry’s being targeted, but we’ve noticed that some of his friends are also being attacked.  There was the incident on Halloween, and then Neville’s broom was most likely jinxed, too.  Neville was the one that found the first note in the Gryffindor common room, and he brought it to us, to see what we made of it.

            “Not long after, we realized Harry had been gone too long, and the note didn’t seem that important at the moment.”

            “May I see these notes?”  Snape held out his hand to his student.  She put the notes in his hands and watched as he read them.  His face morphed into one of anger and then fear.  “Do you know anything about the Sorcerer’s Stone, Miss Granger?”

            “I checked out a book from the library that talks a little bit about it.  And a few weeks ago, we stumbled into the room that Fluffy is being held in when we were trying to avoid Filch.  Harry noticed that she was standing on a trap door, and we figured out that it might have something to do with the break-in at Gringotts.  Harry said that Hagrid had emptied out a vault that day, and it was about the size of the Sorcerer’s Stone.  We figure that Fluffy is guarding it for some reason.”

            “You met Fluffy?!” Snape said incredulously.

            Hermione nodded.  Ron was the one that cut in.  “You know that for some reason, Filch doesn’t like Harry and he was in one of his moods.  We thought it would be best to not let him see Harry, so we went into the nearest door.  She was rather terrifying, but Harry got along wonderfully with the dog.  I’m still not entirely sure how he got her to like him.”

            Snape stood up and began to pace restlessly, thinking about the issue at hand.  Remus was the one to take charge of the situation.  “You said you discussed this with your fellow Slytherins?”

            Ron nodded, since Hermione was looking far too pale still.  “We figured that none of us should go anywhere alone.  As Hermione said, it seems like anyone that’s friends with Harry is being targeted, and we didn’t want anyone to end up hurt.”

            “That’s probably a good idea.  I’m a little concerned about the upcoming holidays, but if our suspicions are correct, it would be rather easy to ward against any unwanted intrusion.”  Remus fell silent for a few moments, thinking.  Then, almost as though it was an offhand remark, he said, “By the way, of course you are welcome to come stay at Grimmauld Place, Ron.  Any of Harry’s friends are always welcome with us.”

            Ron gave a weak smile.  Somehow, after the crazy night they had all had, his plans for Christmas didn’t seem to be as important.  Nonetheless, he was still happy that he had a place to go, and that he was going to spend Christmas with his best friend.

            The next few weeks passed rather uneventfully.  None of the Slytherins went anywhere without someone else, and Severus set up a system of ghosts to be near the students at all times.  They didn’t want anyone else to be attacked.  Remus and Sirius stayed in the hospital wing with Harry.  It was a common sight for the various students that needed the medi-witch’s expertise to find Harry cuddling with a big black dog, or playing exploding snap with the boy.

            Occasionally, Remus would be pulled into helping students with their homework, since they saw him as a teacher still.  Sirius would always tease him and call him Professor Lupin for hours afterwards.  The name never failed to bring a smile to his face.

            The day before the break started, Harry was finally let out of the hospital wing, and he skipped joyfully down to the common room.  Severus followed a way behind, too nervous to let his ward walk around the school by himself.  Harry was happily oblivious to any danger that might be directed towards him, since no one had wanted to tell him about the notes just yet.  All he knew was that he had been heading back to his dormitory, excited at the prospect of spending Christmas with his godfathers, and he had woken up in the hospital wing two days later.

            Madame Pomfrey had fretted horribly during the two weeks he was stuck in there.  She still wouldn’t let him practice any of his spells for class, and she certainly wouldn’t let him brew any potions.  (Although, when she was brewing some of the basic healing potions, she let him come help her a little bit.  He seemed rather interested in potioneering, and he was extremely good at measuring the exact amount needed.)

            As much as he loved spending time with Madame Pomfrey in the hospital wing, he was excited to spend the night in his own bed with his friends all around him.  When he opened the common room door, he was greeted with the sight of a warm fire glowing in the fireplace and the boys playing exploding snap on the floor in front of it.  Pansy was lying on the ground, her head in Theo’s lap as she told a story to Hermione with her hands.  Harry was surprised and pleased to realize that she was signing just as well as Draco and Hermione did.  (Ron was still struggling a little bit with signing smoothly, but he was getting better every day.)

            “Hey everyone,” said Harry cheerfully.  He had seen them earlier, but they still were excited to see him.

            Pansy shot up, nearly smacking Theo in the face with her own head.  **Harry!  You’re out of the hospital wing!**   She gave him a great big hug, not bothering to let him respond to her.  Harry laughed.  He had gotten used to her overenthusiastic greetings and had come to welcome them.

            “Hey Pansy.  You do realize that you just saw me three hours ago, right?” Harry mumbled into her robes.  She quickly let him go and let her fingers begin to fly.

            **Of course!  It was three hours too long.  Oh, before I forget, my Mum said that I could invite you to our annual holiday bash.  It’s always on December 23 and we celebrate every December holiday including Hanukah, Christmas, and New Year’s.  I would be absolutely tickled if you would come.**   Pansy grinned hopefully at her friend.

            **I would love to, Pansy.  But I’ll have to check with Sirius and Remus.  I’m sure they’ll be fine with me going.  Ron’s also going to be staying with me over the break.  Could he come?**   (Pansy’s name sign was rather simple.  It was the sign for princess.  She had glowered at them all before realizing that Harry thought it was wonderful, and accepted it as her name.)

            **Wonderful.  Draco’s family always comes, as does Blaise’s.  I’m trying to get my Mum to let me invite everyone, but I could only convince her to let you come.  She’s one of the pureblood fanatics, and thinks the Weasleys and muggleborns are trash.  I’ve tried to tell her differently, but she won’t listen.  I’ll try to get her to let Ron come.**

            “Hey, Pansy.  Let the rest of us talk to him, yeah?” said Theo, shouldering his way into their conversation.  “Good to see you out and about, Harry.  You had us worried for a bit there.”

            “You know me, Theo.  I’m extremely difficult to kill.”

            The Slytherins chuckled, but they realized that someone had tried at least twice this year, not to mention all of those years living with those horrible people.  He was extremely hard to kill, not for lack of trying though.

            “I swear I saw a grey hair on Professor Snape when he was teaching us Potions last week,” piped up Daphne.  “He’s been so worried about you.  And McGonagall snapped at Finnigan and Thomas in Gryffindor for singing too loudly.”

            “Well, I imagine its because they can’t sing.  I find they’re rather difficult to listen to,” Harry said.

            There were a few chuckles around the room, as well as heads nodding in agreement.  Then, Pansy smacked Harry lightly on his arm.  “You toad.  You can’t hear them at all.  Of course, you’d find it difficult to listen to them.”  At that, the Slytherins roared with laughter at Harry’s joke and smiled brilliantly.  It was so nice for him to be surrounded by people that he was comfortable making jokes around.

            The next morning found the students packing their trunks for a holiday away from home.  There were occasional calls from across the dormitory room to see if this wayward sock belonged to anyone.  If no one answered, they just tossed it on the steadily growing pile on Harry’s bed.  Harry, it seemed, had lost himself in one of his textbooks and didn’t notice that he was getting a pile of clothes.

            Ron suspected that some of the boys were not claiming their articles of clothing on purpose.  He knew that he had shook his head at some of his distinct Weasley sweaters.  It had become a game, almost, to see how large a pile they could make without Harry noticing.  (And secretly, Ron suspected that a lot of the clothes would not be reclaimed.  They had all noticed how cold Harry was.  With the grounds covered in ice and snow and the fires barely able to chase away the damp and chill, they were all finding themselves chilled.  Harry was constantly shivering.)

            When Harry finally looked up from his textbook, he realized it was almost time for them to get to the Hogwarts Express.  He threw his clothes and textbooks into his trunk and was ready in less than five minutes.  That was when he noticed the pile on his bed.

            “Why is there a pile of clothes on my bed?” he asked.

            All the boys laughed at the question, and Theo cheerfully explained what had happened.  Harry laughed, and they could all see the light blush on his cheeks.  “I guess I got a little preoccupied.  We’ll have to sort through them after the break, I suppose.”

            The seven boys hauled their trunks out of the dormitories and into the common rooms.  Harry tried dragging his out of the doorway, but Draco stopped him.  “The house elves that take care of the castle are going to help us take our trunks out to the train.  They have more advanced magic than we do.  It’ll be easier for them than for us, I imagine.”

            Harry reluctantly left his trunk in the common room, but not before he scribbled a little note thanking the house elves.  (He had no idea that the action would bring almost mass hysteria to the kitchens.  The lucky house elf that took care of Harry Potter’s trunk, Willie, would treasure that note for the rest of her life.)

            It was rather a rambunctious ride to the train station.  Not all of the Slytherins could fit into one carriage drawn by skeletal black horses, and so Ron, Hermione, Pansy, and Harry climbed into one, Draco, Blaise, Theo, and Daphne climbed into another, and Gregory, Vincent, and Millicent found a third with Neville tagging along with them.  They were, however, able to get a compartment to themselves, though they were often visited by the various Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws they had made friends with.  It was a ride filled with laughter and joy.  All too soon, the ride ended and Harry and Ron made their way onto the platform where their trunks were being unloaded.  Harry had Hedwig, while Ron had left his rat with his brother, Percy.

            “Come on, let’s go find Sirius and Remus,” Harry said, after wishing his friends a happy holiday.

            **I think I saw them over by the fireplaces.  We’re probably going to Floo to Grimmauld Place.**   Ron gestured towards the fireplaces that had lines stretching away from them.

            Indeed, the two wizards were waiting close by and as soon as Harry was close enough, Sirius swept him up into a hug.  “Padfoot!” the boy cried in excitement.  “I’ve missed you so much!”

            **We saw you two days ago, pup,** Sirius signed to the boy.

            **It feels like ages ago.  And besides, I’m excited to see Grimmauld Place.  You haven’t said much about it in your letters.**

**Well, that’s because it’s a surprise,** Remus signed before picking up Harry’s trunk and owl cage.  Sirius still hadn’t put his godson down.  (He was rather worried that he still felt just as light as he had more than a month and a half ago.  Sirius had filled out, but Harry still hadn’t gained any weight.)

            The group of four waited in line for their turn to go through the Floo Network to Harry’s new house.  It was just as dirty as Harry remembered, but far less confusing.  The first time he had Floo-ed anywhere, he had been terrified.  Remus had had to hold his hand and thoroughly promise that they would not catch on fire.

            The house that they tumbled into did not seem to fit the name.  It was tastefully decorated with silver and red, as a tribute to both Gryffindor and Slytherin.  Sirius had wanted to decorate everything with Gryffindor colors, but both Remus and Kreacher had strongly objected to that idea.  It would have been rather gaudy.

            Speaking of Kreacher, the old elf tottered into view.  Ron stared at him, while Sirius barely bothered looking towards the house elf.  “I see Master Black is back, with his half-breed friend and a blood-traitor,” he muttered.

            Harry couldn’t quite understand what the elf was saying.  He had never read anyone’s lips besides humans, so it was a rather difficult experience for him.  However, Harry was extremely curious.  He wriggled out of Sirius’s arms and cautiously approached the house elf.  He gently reached out and touched one of the ears, giggling when it twitched away from his touch.

            “I wish I could understand you.  My name is Harry, and I’m deaf.  I can’t hear what you’re saying, and I’ve never read a house elf’s lips before.  What’s your name?”

            The creature stared at Harry in surprise.  No one had ever asked him for his name.  It was always vaguely shouted towards whoever was interested in knowing.  Kreacher snapped his fingers and silvery words floated over his head, acting much like the spell his teachers used at Hogwarts.  My name is Kreacher.  You must be the little master Kreacher was told about.

            Harry nodded, delightedly.  “You must be a house elf.  I don’t know much about house elves, but, then again, I don’t know much about magic or wizards.  Perhaps you could tell me about house elves.”

            Kreacher would be delighted.  You leave your things in the parlor, and Kreacher will take them up to your room.  Supper is going to be ready soon.  Little master needs to get some meat on his bones.  Kreacher poked at Harry’s ribs gently, and tilted his head curiously at the giggle Harry let out.  What’s that sound little master is making?

            “It’s called laughter.  I’m rather ticklish in my ribs, and it causes me to wiggle and laugh,” Harry said.  He followed as Kreacher levitated the boys’ trunks into the air and guided them into a couple of rooms.  Ron’s was dropped off first in a rather plain, blue room on the second floor.  Harry’s was put in the room next to it.  This room was painted a lovely opal color, that seemed to shimmer blue and green and silver all at once.  There was a watercolor of Hogwarts hanging on one wall, and a photograph of his parents hanging above the bed.  The bed itself was huge, easily twice the size of his bed at Hogwarts.

            “Is this my room?” Harry asked hesitantly.

            **Of course, cub.  We wouldn’t want you sleeping in some drafty corner of this old house.  You deserve a place that you can call your own.  If you want to change anything in here, feel free to do so,** Remus signed from the doorway.

            “Thanks, Uncle Moony.  It’s wonderful.  I’ve never really had a room of my own before.  Well, I did sleep in Dudley’s second bedroom for a week, but then I moved back to my little cupboard,” Harry said, not really paying attention to the information bomb he had just dropped on his guardians and best friend.

            Little master was sleeping in a cupboard?  No wonder little master is so small.  Wizards get bedrooms.

            “Where’s your room, Kreacher?”

            Kreacher prefers little spaces.  He sleeps in the boiler room where its warm on his old bones.  Master Black was kind enough to let Kreacher stay there.

            “If I get a room, then so do you, Kreacher,” Harry declared.  He turned to his godfathers.  “Where’s a room that’s not being used for anything?”

            Sirius thought for a moment.  Most of the bedrooms had been transformed into guest bedrooms, figuring that they would have lots of kids running around during the summer holidays.  However, there were two bedrooms that Sirius had only checked to make sure nothing dark was inside before leaving them alone.  “I suppose, since Reg was your favorite, you could sleep in his old bedroom.  It’s not being used, and I’d prefer it if his memory was loved, not locked up,” he said, forgetting to sign.

            Kreacher’s bulbous eyes seemed to bulge even more, and they began to water.  Master Black is giving Kreacher Master Regulus’s room?  Master Black is so very kind.  Come, little master.  Kreacher will show you his new room.

            Sirius and Remus watched in awe as Kreacher took Harry’s hand and led him up the stairs to the third floor.  Ron just followed along, figuring that Harry was always going to make a new friend, regardless of how grumpy or mean they were.

            The door unlocked easily, and Kreacher entered the room with Harry right behind.  It was decorated in a fading green and silver, indicating that Regulus Black had once been a Slytherin like the two eleven-year-olds.  It was neat, just like the last time its master lived there.  Neatness had always been drilled into the minds of the Black boys, and even after Azkaban, Sirius found himself making his bed and picking up after the rather untidy werewolf he lived with.

            Harry approached a picture in the corner.  Regulus was in the Seeker’s position in the photograph, and he was holding the Quidditch Cup.  Harry studied the picture intently for a few minutes.  “Padfoot, is this your brother?” he asked rather needlessly.  The resemblance between the two boys was uncanny.

            Sirius approached and turned Harry slightly so he could see the response.  **Yeah, that was my brother Regulus.**

**What happened to him?**

            Sirius’s eyes turned stormy for a moment, thinking of dark times.  **When he was sixteen, he joined the Death Eaters, the followers of You-Know-Who.  A few years after he graduated from Hogwarts, he was killed.  There were rumors that he tried to desert and was killed by You-Know-Who himself.  I don’t know exactly though.**

Kreacher was watching this conversation carefully.  Actually, he said.  The Dark Lord didn’t kill Master Regulus.  Kreacher left Master Regulus to the lake of dead things against his wishes.  Master told Kreacher to save himself, and Kreacher listened.  Master was not heard from again.

            “Kreacher, what do you mean, lake of dead things?” Remus asked.  Harry watched his lips carefully, not wanting to miss a word.  Kreacher was obviously trying not to cry, but the kind little boy wanted to know about his beloved Master.  Regulus was a hero, and deserved to be recognized as such.

            Kreacher began to cry quietly, making his words a little difficult to understand, but the letters gleaming above his head helped everyone understand the elf.

            When he was sixteen years old, Master Regulus joined the Dark Lord.  So proud, so proud, so happy to serve. . . And one day, a year after he had joined, Master Regulus came down to the kitchen to see Kreacher.  Master Regulus always liked Kreacher.  And Master Regulus said . . . he said . . . he said that the Dark Lord required an elf.  And Master Regulus had volunteered Kreacher.  It was an honor, said Master Regulus, an honor for him and for Kreacher, who must be sure to do whatever the Dark Lord ordered him to do . . . and then to come home.  So Kreacher went to the Dark Lord.  The Dark Lord did not tell Kreacher what they were to do, but took Kreacher with him to a cave beside the sea.  And beyond the cave there was a cavern, and in the cavern was a great black lake . . . There was a boat . . . There was a b-basin full of potion on the island.  The D-Dark Lord made Kreacher drink it . . . Kreacher drank, and as he drank, he saw terrible things . . . Kreacher’s insides burned . . . Kreacher cried for Master Regulus to save him, he cried for his Mistress Black, but the Dark Lord only laughed.  He made Kreacher drink all the potion.  He dropped a locket into the empty basin. . . He filled it with more potion.  And the Dark Lord sailed away, leaving Kreacher on the island.

             Kreacher needed water, he crawled to the island’s edge and he drank from the black lake . . . and hands, dead hands, came out of the water and dragged Kreacher under the surface . . . Master Regulus told Kreacher to come back and so Kreacher left the lake.

             Master Regulus was worried, very worried.  Master Regulus told Kreacher to stay hidden and not to leave the house.  And then. . . it was a little while later . . . Master Regulus came to find Kreacher in his cupboard one night, and Master Regulus was strange, not as he usually was, disturbed in his mind, Kreacher could tell. . . and he asked Kreacher to take him to the cave, the cave where Kreacher had gone with the Dark Lord.

             Harry was crying at this point, and threw his arms around the house elf.  The house elf was reduced to sobs, and he stayed in the boy’s arms for quite a while before he was able to calm himself enough to continue his story.

             “What happened to Regulus?” Sirius asked quietly.

             M-Master Regulus took from his pocket a locket like the one the Dark Lord had.  And he told Kreacher to take it and, when the basin was empty, to switch the lockets.  And he ordered—Kreacher to leave—without him.  And he told Kreacher—to go home—and never to tell my Mistress—what he had done—but to destroy—the first locket.  And he drank—all the potion—and Kreacher swapped the lockets—and watched . . . as Master Regulus . . . was dragged beneath the water . . . and . . . 

             Nothing Kreacher did made any mark upon it.  Kreacher tried everything, everything he knew, but nothing, nothing would work . . . So many powerful spells upon the casing, Kreacher was sure the way to destroy it was to get inside it, but it would not open . . . Kreacher punished himself, he tried again, he punished himself, he tried again.  Kreacher failed to obey orders, Kreacher could not destroy the locket!  And his Mistress was mad with grief, because Master Regulus had disappeared, and Kreacher could not tell her what had happened, no, because Master Regulus had f-f-forbidden him to tell any of the f-f-family what happened in the c-cave.  Master Regulus died in vain, because Kreacher could not obey.

             With that final statement, Kreacher broke down in inconsolable wails.  Harry hugged the house elf, wiping his tears with his own handkerchief.  “Come on, Kreacher.  I’ve found a cup of tea does wonders for the soul when you’ve been crying.  Besides, you said that lunch would be ready soon.  I’m sure it’s probably burnt by now, but I can help you make some more.”

            Little master is too kind to Kreacher.  Little master reminds Kreacher of Master Regulus.  A cup of tea would be nice.  Harry nodded to his guardians and they led the small party out of the bedroom and down the flights of stairs to the kitchen.  Indeed, the soup that Kreacher had put on had been burnt, but Sirius vanished it with a flick of his wand.  Harry dug out a tea kettle and set it on the stove to boil before going in search of tea leaves.

            Once the tea was steeping, Harry set about looking through the various cupboards to see what food was there.  He found several potatoes and a few carrots in the pantry, as well as some beef.  He set about making another soup, ignoring the adults who were talking quietly to each other at the table.  Ron had taken over comforting Kreacher.

            It was only when the savory smells of the soup began to waft through the kitchen that Sirius looked up.  He approached the small boy that was moving around the kitchen like he was a master chef and tapped him on the shoulder.

            Harry immediately shrunk away from the man before relaxing when he realized it was only Sirius.

            **What are you doing Harry?  We can go find something to eat at one of the restaurants nearby.  You don’t have to cook.**

            Harry noticed that Remus was looking on as well, and he ducked his head to hide his blush.  “The soup was burned, so I figured we needed supper.  I know how to cook.  Aunt Petunia had me cooking breakfast every morning since I was four.  I’m really responsible with knives and such, I promise.”

            Remus stood up and knelt down in front of Harry.  **You don’t have to cook for us.  It’s not that we don’t think you can’t, it’s that it’s not necessary for you.  That’s Kreacher’s job.  We don’t ever expect you to cook full meals for us.**

Harry was definitely confused.  Remus and Sirius didn’t want him to cook?  Surely, he had to find some way to earn his keep.  Rather than argue, he simply nodded.  “Well, I’ve already cooked it.  Should we eat?”

            Sirius heaved a sigh.  He had a feeling that Harry didn’t quite understand why he didn’t need to cook, but figured that it was not worth the fight at the moment.  He waved his wand and a cabinet flew open, allowing four bowls and silverware to fly out and arrange themselves on the table.  With another wave, the pot of soup drifted over to the table and began ladling the soup into the bowls.

            Harry watched this with large eyes and quietly whispered, “I love magic.”

            Once supper was over and cleaned up, and Kreacher had fallen asleep in Regulus’s bed, Harry accompanied his godfathers and his best friend into the study.  It was a spacious room, filled with crimsons and creams.  The sofa was extremely comfortable, and the plushy cushions nearly swallowed Harry when he sat down.  Remus took a book from the side table as Ron challenged Sirius to a game of wizard’s chess.

            Harry watched the game.  He had played against Ron enough to recognize when he was going to beat someone.  Sirius, however, had a confident look on his face.  Many people had underestimated the abilities of Ronald Weasley and paid the price for it.  Harry glanced at Remus.  He looked like he was absorbed in the book he was reading, but Harry could see the little glances that the werewolf was throwing towards Sirius.  His mouth was in a constant slight smile and he looked quite relaxed.

            “Hey, Moony?” Harry asked.

            Remus put the book down and looked at his adopted godson.  “What is it Harry?”

            “Do you think you could help me in the kitchen.  I wanna try to make hot chocolate, but I’ve never been able to make it from scratch before.  Sirius told me that you are the best at it.”

            “Harry, you know you don’t need to cook for us.  You’re our child, and we get to take care of you, not the other way around,” Remus said, hoping that Harry would understand why he didn’t need to try to cook or clean.

            “I just want to learn.  Hermione says its always a good idea to learn new things.  It’s cold outside and I thought a cup of hot chocolate would be a nice treat.  Besides, I haven’t talked to you properly in a while.”  Harry looked up at Remus with his large green eyes, betraying his hope and desperation for Moony to agree.

            “All right, cub.  I’ll come help you make hot chocolate.”

            The two set off towards the kitchen with Sirius calling after them to make him a cup of tea.  Remus just smiled and shook his head before telling Harry what Sirius had requested.  When they reached the kitchen, he set about collecting the ingredients needed.

            Harry helped as much as he could and pulled a stool over to the stove so he could see what Remus was doing in the pot.  “Remus, I need your help.  I’ve got an idea for Sirius’s Christmas present, but I can’t do it by myself.”

            **So, that’s why you were so anxious to have me help you with hot chocolate.  You really are a Slytherin, aren’t you?**

Harry beamed.  **That’s what the hat said.  Anyway, I need you to promise to not say anything to Sirius or to Kreacher.  He will like this surprise, too.**

**I promise.  The hot chocolate needs to simmer for about ten minutes before we need to do anything else.  Why don’t you tell me what this surprise is?**

            Harry pulled Remus over to the kitchen table and sat down across from him.  **When I was with the Dursleys, they would often have me working out in the gardens in the middle of the day.  It would get quite hot, and I’d get thirsty, but I couldn’t go back inside until all of the gardening was done.  There was a man that moved to Privet Drive when I was about five years old.  He was kind and would bring me glasses of lemonade or cold water when he noticed me working in the yard.  He was one of the kindest people I had met before going to Hogwarts.**

            Remus looked confused.  While he was angry at the Dursleys for treating his cub so horribly, he wasn’t sure what this had to do with a surprise for Kreacher and Sirius.  Harry, however, was just getting into the story.

            **His name was Mr. Sable.  Aunt Petunia said he was a gangster or something, and wouldn’t let Dudley anywhere near him.  But Mr. Sable was kind, and even learned sign language with me when I became deaf.  The thing is, sable is another word for black.  So, his name was almost Mr. Black.**

**When I saw the picture of Regulus, I knew that he was Mr. Sable.  In other words, Regulus Black is alive and is living on Privet Drive.  I don’t know if he remembers who he was, since he said he had amnesia, but I think it would be a wonderful idea to reunite the Black brothers.**

This was a rather large bombshell to drop on Remus.  After all, he had just found out the truth behind Regulus’s death, and was now told that he was not dead, nor ever had been.  Harry watched him nervously.

            **I think that is a great idea cub.  How about I take you to Privet Drive tomorrow.  We’ll tell Sirius that we’re going shopping for his Christmas present, that way he can’t come with us.**

**Thanks, Moony.**   (The sign for Moony/Remus was a moon held closely to the chest.  Sirius was a star held close to the chest.  It was a way for Harry to show how much he appreciated these two men by holding the close in his heart.)  **Mr. Sable was actually the one that gave me my name sign.  Hearing people aren’t really supposed to assign name signs, but he was the only person I knew that knew BSL and he was kind.  I can’t wait to see him again.**

            Harry was glad that Remus had agreed to his idea, since he wasn’t sure if he should have told them right away.  However, he hadn’t been able to come up with a good Christmas gift for his father.  He had gotten him a Gryffindor Quidditch jersey that said Padfoot on the back, but that didn’t seem to be enough to convey everything Harry was feeling.

            Remus stood and continued to make the hot chocolate, Harry hurrying behind to help where he could and learn how to make the perfect mug of hot chocolate.  While they were waiting for the pot to finish simmering, Harry pulled out the kettle that he had used before and made Sirius a cup of tea.

            “Moony, does Sirius not like hot chocolate?”

            “No, cub.  Ever since he became a dog Animagus, he hasn’t been able to eat chocolate of any kind.  Chocolate is poisonous for dogs, you see.  Whenever Sirius eats chocolate, he gets really sick for several days.  He was rather quite upset about it, especially since he loved Honeyduke’s chocolate.”  Remus smiled at the memory of when they first found out that Sirius couldn’t eat chocolate.  It had been a rather interesting morning.

            “Does being an Animagus come with other side effects?” Harry asked, his eyes wide with curiosity.

            “I think so.  During the winter, James would rub his head against his bedposts, or really anything wood.  He was often found scratching his head with his wand, which could lead to some pretty interesting hair cuts if he wasn’t paying attention.  James also became a vegetarian immediately after he turned into a stag.  None of us ever questioned it.”

            “What about your other friend?  Peter?  Wasn’t he an Animagus, too?”

            “Yes, cub.  He could turn into a rat, which came in handy for pulling pranks.  As you know, one of the allowed pets at Hogwarts is a rat, and so he was the best at moving around the castle unnoticed.  He also loved cheese, but became rather frightened of cats.”

            It was bitter-sweet, reminiscing about his Hogwarts days when the world was brighter, and all the Marauders were happy.  Now, one Marauder was dead, one was a traitor, and one had spent the last decade in Azkaban for the crimes of the second.  At least he had Padfoot back again.

            “Hey, Moony.  Pansy invited me to go to her family’s Holiday party on the 23rd of December.  I was wondering if I could go,” Harry asked as he stirred the hot chocolate so it wouldn’t scald, his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth.

            Remus waited until Harry was looking at him, and then said, “Of course, cub.  You’re welcome to do just about anything.  If you want to spend time with your friends, all you have to do is let us know.  There may be times when we have something else planned, or we may have you work on other things first.  Other than that, you are more than welcome to go to your friends’ houses or invite them here.”

            Harry was a little shocked.  He had never been allowed to have friends over at the Dursleys.  Of course, he didn’t really have any friends to invite.  Now, though, he had a new family and lots of friends who cared about him.  For the first time in a long time, when Harry went to sleep that night, he didn’t have any nightmares.

            In the morning, an owl came for Harry.  Kreacher was the one that took the letter from the beautiful barn owl, since Harry had his back turned to the window and couldn’t hear the tapping from the owl.  Kreacher tapped Harry on his arm, and gently steered him away from the eggs and bacon he was trying to cook behind Kreacher’s back.

            Little master has mail today.  You go read your letter and let Kreacher cook breakfast.

            Harry smiled at the house elf that was almost as tall as he was.  “All right.  But only if you call me Harry.  I’m not fond of all of this master nonsense.”

            Kreacher will call little master Harry if he does not cook anymore.  That is Kreacher’s job.

            “I’ll only cook when it’s your birthday.  No one should have to do chores on their birthday.”

            Kreacher doesn’t have a birthday.  Only the day he started to serve the Ancient and Noble House of Black.  It was a wonderful day.

            “Well, everyone needs a birthday.  How about, your birthday is the 1st of March.  It’s one of my favorite days.  It’s when you know spring is coming.  It’s also six months away from my birthday.”

            If Harry insists on giving Kreacher a birthday, then Kreacher will be happy to have the 1st of March as his birthday.  Now, go open your letter.  Kreacher doesn’t want to burn the food again.

            Harry gave the house elf a hug before taking the letter and skipping off to the study.  They were both early risers, as was Remus, and so Sirius and Ron were still sound asleep in their beds.  Remus was already in the study, his hair rumpled from his night’s sleep.

            **Good morning Harry.  What have you got there?**

**It’s a letter.  I’m not sure who it’s from.**

            Harry sat down on the couch and broke the seal holding the parchment in a roll.  The handwriting was neat and tidy, and he recognized it as Pansy’s.

           

          _ **Dear Harry,**_

_**I miss you already, and for once, I am counting down the days to the holiday party.  Mum is rather surprised that I care about it for once.  I talked with my Mum, and she agreed to let Ron come with you to the party.  She said she could allow him here if you brought Sirius along with you.  I think she wants to make connections with the master of the House of Black.  Anyway, I don’t think I told you that the party is formal dress.  It’s rather stuffy and boring, but it will be better with you and Ron here.  And from what I’ve heard, Sirius is always good for a laugh.** _

_**Can’t wait until the 23 rd.** _

_**Lots of Love,** _

_**Pansy Parkinson** _

_**P.S. We are having a gift exchange, though my Mum doesn’t know it.  Most of the Slytherin first years are going to be there, and I figure it’s as good a time as any and saves our owls from having to fly all over Great Britain.** _

_**P.P.S.  Mum will be sending a formal invitation later today.** _

            Harry grinned brightly.  He handed Remus the letter and went to go get dressed for the day.  After all, he had a long day ahead of him.  He would be going to Diagon Alley to shop for presents for his friends, and then back to Privet Drive.  (He wasn’t entirely excited for the last stop.  He wanted to see Mr. Sable again, but being on that street would not be the most pleasant.)

            Soon enough, the rest of the house was awake and bustling around.  Sirius groaned and sighed about having to go to a horrid fancy party.  Remus scolded him and reminded him that he was the Lord of the Ancient and Noble House of Black, and as such, needed to prove he was worthy of the title.  Harry had giggled at the look on his face, but blushed bright red when Remus added that being the Lord of such a respected family would help them win custody of their godson.  Harry didn’t like being the topic of conversation, since it had meant something bad for the past decade.

            Sirius and Ron were also heading to Diagon Alley, and the four of them decided to start there and shop together.  They went by Floo and soon enough, Harry was coughing and dusting his robes off in the Leaky Cauldron.

            **Come on.  There’s a shop I’ve got to show you.  It’s not super well known, but it’s amazing,** Ron signed to Harry.   **I bet Hermione would love something from there.**

The two boys pushed their way through the crowds of holiday shoppers, making sure that they were in the line of sight of one of the adults that had accompanied them.  The shop that Ron led them to was beyond Gringotts Wizarding Bank, which was as far as Harry had gone in Diagon Alley with Hagrid.  It wasn’t much to look at on the outside, but on the inside, the air practically crackled with magic.  The same type of charm on the ceiling of the Great Hall was in this shop, except it showed the stars in the sky.  It was bright enough to see clearly, but had the same feeling of looking up at a night sky.

There was an attractive woman that approached them.  “Welcome to the Star Emporium.  What can I help you with today?”  
            “We’d just like to look around.  We’re trying to come up with ideas for presents,” Ron told the woman.  Harry had already wandered off, in complete awe of the beautiful ceiling.  He nearly walked into a shelf, before looking at the posters hanging on the wall.  They were enchanted to show the movement of the stars, regardless of where the person was at and if it was day or night.

            Nearby was a small box.  The label read:  **Wearable Stars, Outshine Everyone Else at Your Holiday Party**.  The box was warm to the touch and there were little lights inside that seemed to sparkle exactly like night sky above them.  Harry made a note in his mind to come back to those.  He had a feeling that Pansy would absolutely love them.

            Ron, in the meantime, was looking through a spell book.  It had complicated spells, like the one that was on the ceiling, all to do with astronomy, astrology, and the night sky.  It also had an information section about all kinds of nocturnal creatures, magical and non-magical.  Hermione would love this kind of book, since she loved learning.

            Sirius and Remus looked around in amusement.  “I think I found the place where my parents got the inspiration for our names.  It’s a little ridiculous being named after a constellation, so they had to have come up with idea somewhere.”

            Harry was utterly entranced by a tiny dragon that sparkled like the night sky.  It was just a toy that was enchanted to be life-like.  There was also a crab, a Pegasus, a lion, a bear, and several others, meant to represent constellations in the sky.  Harry picked up the dragon and murmured, “You’ll be perfect for Draco.  He’ll love you.”

            Harry approached the lady with the box of stars and the dragon and she rang him up.  He still had most of his money from his trip to Diagon Alley before the start of school, and easily paid for the gifts.  The woman, whose nametag read Cassiopeia, wrapped them in gift bags that were just as starry as the rest of the store.

            “I think you were right, Ron.  This was a wonderful store, and I’m so glad you showed it to me.  But I didn’t find anything I wanted to get for Hermione.  I think I’d like to stop by Flourish and Blotts for her gift.”

            The group left the store, and after some quiet conversation between the two adults, they split up, Harry going with Remus and Ron trailing after Sirius.  They agreed to meet in four hours in the Leaky Cauldron.

            Not wasting a minute, Harry and Remus ducked into a nearby alleyway.  **Now, Harry, the fastest way to get to Privet Drive is by Apparation.  It’s rather uncomfortable and dizzying, and you’ll probably need a few minutes to stabilize yourself.  You don’t need to worry about how to do it, yet, so I’ll just take you with me.**

            Harry agreed and grabbed hold of Remus’s left arm, leaving his right free to use his wand.  He turned on the spot, and suddenly Harry felt as though his insides were being squished through a very long, thin tube.  It wasn’t as uncomfortable as some of the injuries he had sustained, but it definitely reminded him of the awful ear infection he had gotten when he was seven.

            When the world regained focus around him, he realized he was standing in an alleyway about a block from the Dursleys.  No one had noticed that the two of them had suddenly appeared, and Harry released a breath he was holding.  The last thing he wanted was to be confronted by someone who knew the Dursleys and tell them that their nephew was nearby.

            Remus waited until Harry was looking less green around his edges and signed:  **I don’t know where Regulus lives.  You’ll have to guide us.  Also, he might not want to see me, since I’m friends with Sirius.  That is, if he remembers anything of his past life.  It might be better if you approached him alone.**

            Harry nodded and took Remus’s hand to led him out onto the street.  There were no pedestrians, but he could see several of Dudley’s friends further down, messing with a smaller child.  Harry turned the other way, and took the longer route to the street he had lived on for a majority of his life.  It was as if the memories had been reawoken, and he could almost feel the sting of the belt hitting his back and tearing into his flesh.  He could definitely smell the old mothballs that had inhabited the cupboard with him.

            He could feel Remus watching him carefully, and Harry put a smile on his face, pushing all of his unpleasant memories to the back of his mind.  He stopped at Number 9 Privet Drive.  There was a lovely plant on the porch that seemed to be thriving despite the freezing weather.  Petunia had always been a little jealous of Mr. Sable’s ability to keep anything alive, regardless of the environment.

            Harry gulped a little.  It had been several months since he had disappeared from the neighborhood, and he wasn’t sure what Regulus would do when he saw him.  Remus hung back by the gate, letting Harry approach the door alone.  He knocked once, twice, and stepped back.

            There was a movement in the window, and the door was thrown open not a second later.  **Harry!**   The man signed frantically.  **I was so worried.  I thought those rotten monsters had killed you when I didn’t see you for several months.  Where have you been?**

**I’ve been safe, Mr. Sable.  In fact, I found some people that are trying to get me away from the Dursleys for good.** (It should be mentioned that the sign for the Dursleys was a far worse sign than the one they had assigned to Filch.  Remus had had to cover his mouth to stifle the laugh the first time he had seen the sign and understood what it meant and what it represented.  He had no doubt that Mr. Sable had been the one to help Harry think of that sign and he wanted to high-five the man.)  **I wanted to come and say hi, and to share some news with you.  Could I come in?**

**Harry, you are always welcome in my home.  And you should probably bring your friend in from the cold.**   The boy grinned and motioned for Remus to join them on the porch and Regulus held the door open wider.

            The house was tidy and had a feeling of comfort and warmth to it, much like Grimmauld Place did after it was completely redecorated.  There were a few paintings on the wall, though none of them were enchanted like the ones at Hogwarts.  The parlor was decorated in a tasteful silver and green, rather similar to the Slytherin common room, and Harry felt right at home.

            **I’m sure you would like something warm to drink.  Give me a moment, and then we can catch up properly, Harry.**   Regulus moved to the kitchen, and Remus could hear several pots and pans banging about.  A few moments later, he returned with a tray laden with the fixings for a nice afternoon tea.  For Remus’s benefit, Regulus spoke out loud as well as signed, unsure if the man understood sign language.  **Earl Grey, one sugar and a dash of cream, if I remember correctly, Remus.**

            Regulus handed over a tea cup and then poured out a cup for himself and Harry, allowing the boy to add as many sugar cubes as he wanted.  Remus accepted the cup and took a sip, surprised when it was exactly how he liked it best.  Then, what Regulus had said caught up with him.

            “Wait, you remember?”

            **Yes, though I had lost my memory for a while.  It was seeing Harry and how much he resembled James that sparked the recovery of my memories.  I expect you have many questions.**

Remus sipped his tea silently for several minutes.  Harry looked anxiously back and forth between the two men.  He so desperately wanted his idea to work out, but if Regulus and Remus didn’t get along, then things would not have such a happy ending.

            “Kreacher told us that you had died in a lake of Inferi.  I don’t understand how you’re alive.  I didn’t even know until Harry pulled me aside and told me,” Remus said quietly, forgetting to sign for Harry’s benefit.

            **Let me tell you what happened.  Kreacher, I’m sure, has already told you everything he knew about the lake and the poison potion, and the locket.  The truth is, Voldemort made at least four Horcruxes, which is one of the darkest magics I’ve ever encountered.  He split his soul through the act of killing someone, and through these bits of soul, he is still very much alive.**

**I have no idea how I escaped the lake, or how I ended up in a muggle hospital.  They took care of me for several weeks before I was well enough to leave.  I didn’t remember anything from my former life, and decided to try to make a living as best as I could and hope that my memories would come back in time.  I found a nice job nearby, and I found this house here on Privet Drive.**

**That’s when I saw Harry.  Everything came back so suddenly.  It was like I was back at Hogwarts again, though Harry’s eyes were different than James’s and he was so much smaller than his father was.  I discreetly looked into what had happened since my supposed death, and I discovered that Sirius had betrayed James and Lily.  I thought our parents had gotten to him, and he had turned into a spy for Voldemort.  And to the wizarding world, I was a dead Death Eater, so I decided to adopt the persona I had created when I was unable to remember anything.**

**I knew that Voldemort was still alive, and I had read all about the tragedy in Godric’s Hollow.  I knew Harry was still in danger, and I resolved to keep an eye on him and keep him safe.  Mrs. Figg is well-meaning, but she can’t do much to stop an attack from Death Eaters.  I kept tabs on Harry and watched after him.  I even reported those horrible muggles to the muggle police several times, but nothing ever came from it.  I’m really sorry, Harry.  I tried to get you away from the Dursleys.**

**When Harry disappeared, I panicked and I almost contacted Dumbledore.  I don’t trust the man, since he left Harry with those monsters for ten years, but he has far more influence than I do in the wizarding world, and the Boy Who Lived had just vanished right from under my nose.  I did file a missing persons report, and Mrs. Figg and I looked everywhere for you, even spying on the Dursleys to see if they’d hidden you anywhere or locked you in that dreadful cupboard again.**

**But I am so glad you’re safe Harry.  You aren’t nearly as pale as you were, and you look happier than you ever have.**

Harry nodded.  He glanced over at the clock and realized that they still had three and a half hours until they needed to meet with Sirius and Ron in the Leaky Cauldron.

            **I’ve been at Hogwarts.  Hagrid gave me my letter and took me shopping to Diagon Alley.  I met Severus and Aunt Minnie, and they were able to prove that Sirius is innocent.  My parents’ will said so, and he also told the story under a truth potion.  He’s my godfather, you know.**

**Anyway, I’m here for a purpose.  Sirius and Remus fixed up Grimmauld Place, and they’re living there now.  I saw a photo of you in your old room, and realized that you were not dead.  I want to surprise Sirius and Kreacher for Christmas with a family reunion.  They both love you so much, and would be so happy to see you again.**

Regulus rubbed a hand through his hair.  He sat thinking for a few minutes before signing again.  **I’m not so sure my brother would want to see me.  After all, I was a supporter of Voldemort.  I’d love to see him again and see Kreacher again, but I’m sure they’ll curse me as soon as they see me.**

            This time, Remus shook his head.  **You have no idea how much your brother loves you.  It’s one of his biggest regrets, leaving you at Grimmauld Place when he went to live with James.  When he heard you had died, he cried harder than I’ve ever seen anyone cry.  I don’t think he cried like that when James was killed.  He would love to see you again.  You deserve to be brothers again after all these years spent apart.**

Regulus agreed and Harry quickly outlined his plan.  He figured that if Regulus apparated to Grimmauld Place around nine o’ clock Christmas morning, it would be perfect for a reunion and a celebration.  Regulus was thrilled at the idea, since he, too, had inherited the Black flare for dramatics.  However, he made Remus promise to hide Sirius’s wand before he answered the door, since he would rather not be cursed on Christmas Day.

            Everything was all set, with three hours to go until the arranged meeting time with Ron and Sirius.  Harry and Remus left, but not without the boy throwing his arms around Regulus and giving him the biggest hug he could manage.

            They were just about to head back to the alley way, and Regulus was just about to head back into his home when the two men heard a tremendous shout.

            “HARRY POTTER!”  They looked around and noticed a rather purple-looking Vernon Dursley stomping up the street towards them, Petunia and Dudley trailing behind.  “WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING BACK HERE BOY?  DID THAT FREAK SCHOOL SEND YOU BACK TO US?”

            Harry didn’t hear his uncle yelling, but he did notice the sudden tenseness in the man beside him.  He turned to look at what was so concerning and promptly hid in Remus’s sweater.  The poor boy was trembling terribly, and his eyes were wide with fear.

            Vernon Dursley continued to shout at the boy, though his fat mustache hid his lips, preventing Harry from reading what he was saying.  Remus took a couple steps towards the Dursleys and Regulus joined Harry on the sidewalk.  He took the young boy’s hand, offering him a comforting squeeze.

            “Are you Mr. Vernon Dursley?” Remus asked politely, knowing full well that the walrus of a man was Mr. Dursley.

            “Of COURSE, I AM.  NOW WHO ARE YOU?”  Vernon hadn’t lowered his volume to match Remus’s civil tone, instead choosing to yell at the person that stood in his way.

            “I am one of Harry’s godfathers.  I understand that you’ve hurt him in the past.”

            At this statement, Vernon lost all of the purple in his face, turning rather pale instead.  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.  But if you want the freak, by all means have him.  He’s a horrible worker and as lazy as his father was.”

            This was definitely the wrong thing to say.  Remus whipped out his wand.  “James Potter was a far better man than you’ll ever hope to be.  He was my best friend, and you’ve just insulted the man that was murdered to protect his son.”

            Petunia screamed at the sight of the wand and Vernon backed up rather quickly, nearly stomping on Dudley’s foot.  “You wouldn’t dare.  I know there are all kinds of laws about doing magic out in the open,” he snarled.

            “I would gladly blast you to a million pieces, witnesses or not.  And if you ever lay a finger on Harry again, they will not find enough of your body to give you a proper burial,” Remus snarled, looking positively feral.

            Petunia promptly fainted, and Vernon looked like he had swallowed a large, rotten fish whole.  Dudley was trembling, and his whole body seemed to wriggle like a bowl full of jelly, he was so fat.  If the situation wasn’t so horrible, Remus would have found the image rather humorous.

            Harry stepped forward and took his Uncle Moony’s hand.  “Come on, Moony.  We need to get back to Diagon Alley.  Besides, I don’t want you sent to Azkaban, not when I just got you.”

            Remus felt his anger dissipate instantly, and he squeezed the little hand reassuringly.  “Come on, cub.  Let’s go find Christmas presents for the rest of your friends.”  He turned back to the Dursleys.  “Just know that I’ll be watching you.  Don’t you ever come near Harry again.”  He threw a wink at Regulus and tugged Harry close.  A second later, they were back in Diagon Alley.

            Harry was dizzy and ran to the wall to throw up what little breakfast he had eaten that day.  (He had been far too nervous about talking to Regulus to manage more than a small scone.)  Remus patted his back soothingly, vanishing the sick when Harry was done.  He handed the boy a small vial and a bar of chocolate.

            **The potion will help with the nausea, and I find chocolate will always make you feel better.**   Harry nodded his thanks and in a few moments was ready to head back into the crowds of Diagon Alley.


	11. Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas full of surprises and joy. Also, lots of Weasleys.

            The Parkinson house was huge, nearly half the size of Hogwarts castle.  It was decorated very fancily and Harry was glad that Sirius had bought a nice set of dress robes for the two eleven-year-olds as well as for himself for the big party that night.  Both Ron and Harry had their gifts for their friends shrunken in their pockets.  Ron had asked Harry to show him what he had gotten, but Harry refused to give any hint.

            They were met at the door by an ancient looking house elf, even older than Kreacher.  She was as tall as Harry was, which still wasn’t saying much.  She said something, and Harry was pleased to see that she was signing along with her words.

            **Welcome to Park Place.  May I take your coats?**

Harry signed back eagerly.   **You know sign language?  
          Mistress Pansy informed me that one of her guests was deaf.  She has helped me learn how to sign.  She is quite proficient.**

Sirius smiled at the house elf and handed her his coat.  “Thank you.  What is your name?”

            **Dotty, sir.  Please, the party is just down the hall and to the right.**

**Thank you, Dotty.**   Harry grinned brightly at the elf and pulled off the thick winter coat he was wearing and Ron’s old Weasley sweater.  He normally would have protested that he could do it himself, but Remus had taken him aside earlier that day.

            “House elves have been serving wizarding families for hundreds of years.  They have been raised to love serving others.  They delight in doing chores and cooking and cleaning, and are rather offended when a wizard frees them or prevents them from performing their duties.  The Parkinsons are an old family and have a house elf serving them.  It is polite to allow the elf to serve you.”

            Dotty piled the clothes in her arms, nearly falling over from the weight.  Harry quickly steadied her, and Ron took a couple of coats.  “Let us help you carry these to the coat closet.  My mum always told me to hang up your coat yourself,” Ron said.

            “Thank you, kind sir.  Dotty appreciates it.”  Harry wasn’t entirely sure what was said, but decided to follow his best friend, picking up any stray garments that fell from the two piles.  The coat closet was already rather full, and Dotty just set the coats on a chair nearby, taking the pile from Ron’s arms and the sweater Harry was carrying and set them on the chair as well.

            **Dotty appreciates the assistance young sirs.  Now, go enjoy your party.  Mistress Pansy is waiting for you both.**

            Ron lead his friend back towards the front door and followed the music to the large ballroom down the hall and to the right.  The two boys nearly ran into Sirius.

            **Oh good, I was about to come looking for you.  Where were you two?**

**We helped Dotty with the coats.  She nearly fell over from the stack,** Ron signed.  Sirius nodded.  This was one of the times that Sirius really appreciated learning BSL for Harry.  Though the party was not nearly as loud as any of the Potter parties, or the ones the Marauders threw in Gryffindor Tower, it was still quite loud.  Having a language that didn’t require hearing was a bit of a blessing.

            **Now, I’ve got to go greet our hostess, and I’d like the two of you to come along.  I have a feeling that we’ll be coming to a great deal more of these fancy parties.  I hate them.**

            Harry and Ron shared a grin, laughing at Sirius’s expense.  Sirius had had a hard time adjusting to life outside of Azkaban prison.  It was a bit refreshing to see him outside of Grimmauld Place or Hogwarts; the only other time they had seen him venture beyond his comfort zone was to Diagon Alley, shopping for Christmas presents.  He was very clearly uncomfortable with the situation, but was trying for Harry’s sake.

            Madame Parkinson was standing in the middle of the ballroom, seemingly in her element.  She was ordering around waiters, greeting guests, and gossiping cheerfully with her friends.  When their small group approached, she was the first to spot them.

            “Sirius Black.  So good of you to come.  I do hope we’ll see you at our parties in the future.  And this must be young Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.  Pansy has been eagerly awaiting your arrival.  Any friend of my dear Pansy’s is more than welcome in our home.”  
            “Thank you Madame Parkinson.  Your party is lovely and absolutely charming.  There’s no other way I would prefer to reenter high society than your annual holiday party,” Sirius said, taking the mistress’s hand and bowing over it.

            “Sirius Black, you are just as much a charmer as ever.  Come, there are many people eager to see you once again.”  She motioned for Sirius to join her and said to the boys.  “You’ll find Pansy and the others in a room over there.  I believe they were playing Exploding Snap or some other game.  The banquet table is over there, and if you need anything, Dotty will fetch it for you.”

            Ron and Harry eagerly sped off, swerving in between the legs of the adults.  They didn’t notice the various adults that watched them interestedly.

            The red head was the first to spot them.  Pansy was jumping up and down, trying to see over the heads of the adults.  She called them over, and Ron grabbed Harry’s hand and pulled him through the crowds towards their friend.

            **I am so glad you guys made it.  I was starting to worry.**

Harry was quickly pulled into an embrace and was spun around and around.  Pansy was very excited apparently.  She rarely showed this much affection around so many people; it was usually just Harry or her roommates that got to see this tactile side of her.

            When she finally set Harry down again and gave Ron a quick hug (he definitely didn’t want to be hugged like his best friend was), she pulled the both of them through a doorway and into a much smaller and cozier room.  She twirled around, showing them the little area, she had decorated for them.

            Harry finally got a good look at his friend.  She was wearing a knee length cocktail dress that was tailored to fit her perfectly.  It was a vibrant blue that brought out her eyes, and her dark hair was swooped backwards into an elegant updo.  “Wow, Pansy.  You look beautiful,” Harry said.

            She blushed deeply and looked rather pleased with herself.  “Thank you so much Harry.  You are such a sweetheart.”  She turned to speak to the rest of them, making sure that Harry could still read her lips.  “I swear, if anyone hurts Harry, I will personally destroy them.  He is far too precious for this cruel world.”

            Harry just smacked her lightly on her arm and greeted the other two Slytherins.  Both boys were dressed in dress robes that were impeccably clean and pressed.  They were probably charmed to prevent creases.  They looked as though they were Lords of their own houses, purists that only married other purebloods.

            **I’m so glad you both showed up.  Mum has been out there negotiating with Draco and Blaise’s parents,** Pansy signed and spoke.  Blaise was the only one that wasn’t fluent in BSL yet, but he was learning rather quickly.

            “What do you mean, negotiating?” Harry asked.  He still felt out of the loop about certain wizarding practices.

            This time, Draco responded.  **From the time we’re born, pureblood families negotiate with each other to make sure their children marry other purebloods.  Pansy’s mother wants her to marry either Blaise or me.  Mother never really approved of that kind of arranged marriage, despite the fact that my parents were arranged.  She hasn’t agreed to any of the suggestions Madame Parkinson has made.  She’s trying Blaise’s parents as an alternative.**

            “That’s horrible.  You should marry for love, not to keep the blood pure,” Harry cried, outraged.  (He had learned a while ago what they meant by pureblood.  It was not a pleasant conversation to hold, and several of the Slytherins started to question their parents’ teachings.)

            “We don’t think it’s a good idea, either, Harry.  But that’s the problem.  We don’t really get a choice in the matter.  Our parents decide for us.  Who we’re going to marry, what jobs we’re going to get, how many children we should have, where we’re going to live.  They decide everything,” Blaise said, rather bitterly.  It was quite obvious he hated the system and didn’t want anything to do with it.

            Pansy clapped her hands loudly to gain everyone but Harry’s attention.  He looked at her anyway, noticing the movement.  **I’ve had enough doom and gloom for one night.  I’d rather do something I can control.  It’s present time!**

            The boys eagerly unshrunk their packages and distributed them among their friends.

            In the meantime, Sirius wasn’t having nearly as much fun as his godson and his best friend were having.  In fact, he rather hated that Remus had convinced him to attend this rather stupid party.  Madame Parkinson was polite enough, but he had seen several negotiations throughout the party and was absolutely horrified that they still practiced that.  He figured, correctly, that Harry and Ron would learn about that particularly barbaric way of ensuring that bloodlines don’t get contaminated.

            He glared angrily at the platter of shrimp at the buffet table.

            “It appears as though those shrimps did something rather horrible to you,” came a lovely alto voice from behind him.  He turned and found Narcissa Malfoy smiling gently at him.  Her hair was beginning to streak with grey and her face had a few lines around her eyes.  She was still just as beautiful as she had been when she was a teenager being married off to Lucius Malfoy.  “Come, cousin.  I would dearly love to catch up with you.  After all, it’s been nearly fifteen years since we last spoke together.”

            “Narcissa, it is lovely to see you.  I had rather hoped that Draco’s friendship with Harry would help us to reconnect.  I still remember some rather fun adventures during the summer.”

            “Now, Sirius, we both promised to never bring that summer up,” Narcissa said with a small smile playing at her lips.  “Let’s go sit down.”  The cousins made their way over to the edge of the party and sat in a couple of armchairs near the fireplace.  “I want to speak to you before Lucius inevitably comes to taunt you in some way or another.”

            “What did you want to speak about?” Sirius asked, his curiosity piqued.

            “Lucius still supports You-Know-Who, as I’m sure you’re aware of.  I don’t want Draco to be raised to hate muggleborns like we were.  I know that your mother would turn over in her grave at the thought that perfect Narcissa didn’t want to have anything to do with blood purity, but I want Draco to learn more about love and not our supposed superiority.”

            “I’m rather impressed, Narcissa.  I never thought you would ever think that way, let alone want different for Draco.”

            “You know, as well as I do, that Lucius has been trying to negotiate for Draco’s marriage.  I’ve managed to stop it before it went to far.  Lucius and I were a negotiated marriage, and the only good thing to come from it was Draco.  I want Draco to find love, regardless of who it’s with.  She, or he, could be a muggle for all I care, as long as he’s happy,” Narcissa said passionately.

            Sirius sat in silence for a few moments, thinking things through.  “What do you want me to do to help?”

            “I was wondering if you and Mr. Lupin would be willing to let Draco come and visit frequently over the summer.  Maybe make sure that Miss Granger is there at the same time.  She’s already one of his closest friends, and she’s gone a long way towards helping him see the world differently.  He’s still rather pompous, but I’m hoping that he’ll get over that in the future.”

            “I’m sure Harry and Remus would be delighted to have Draco over during the summer.  And, I’m sure Remus would love to meet you.  He’s been encouraging me to reconnect with my family.  Besides, you both would get along splendidly,” Sirius said with a bright smile.  Narcissa returned with one of her own, a smile that she hadn’t used in years.

            “Ah, I had wondered where you had disappeared to, Narcissa,” came a drawling voice.  Sirius looked up into the pale eyes and pale face of Lucius Malfoy.  “And I see you’ve been chatting to the mutt.  I do hope he hasn’t drooled on your robes, it would be a terrible pain to wash.”

            “Lucius, what a pleasure to see your smiling face,” Sirius said sarcastically.  Lucius never smiled if he could help it, and if he did, it was more like a smirk.  “Well, Cissy, it was a pleasure to chat with you.  I hope we run into each other again soon.  Lucius.”  Sirius stood, gave a little bow, and walked towards the buffet table.  He was glad that Narcissa was doing something to help Draco change his life around, especially since Harry was good friends with the Malfoy boy.  He didn’t want Harry to be around anyone that was bigoted or racist; he had faced enough of that in his life already.

            He had meant what he had said, though.  Remus and Narcissa would get along wonderfully, since they both had a passion for reading and teaching.  If he remembered correctly, Narcissa had wanted to eventually become the Charms professor at Hogwarts.  Obviously, the marriage to Lucius had crushed that dream for her.  Getting Narcissa and Draco away from Lucius would help the both of them.

            Hours later, the party was winding down, and Sirius decided it was a good time for him to find the boys.  He hadn’t seen them since they had gone racing off to find Pansy and the other Slytherins, and he figured they had stayed together throughout the party.  Indeed, he found the children in the room off to the side of the ballroom, all asleep in a pile.  Both Pansy and Ron had an arm around Harry.  Blaise had his head resting on Ron’s stomach (it seemed to be a favorite pillow for Blaise) and Draco was draped over Pansy’s, Ron’s, and Harry’s legs.  There were chocolate frog wrappers everywhere, several decks of Exploding Snap, and a few noise makers lying about, their prizes discarded nearby.

            The sight reminded him of the parties that he and the other Marauders would throw at Hogwarts, right down to the pile of them fast asleep.  Sirius smiled and shook his head fondly.  Sometimes, Harry was so much like James that it physically hurt.  He crouched down and began to wake the kids up one by one.  He started with Draco, since he was on top of most of them.  He looked around blearily and gathered up the objects that had to be his presents from the other kids.  Next was Blaise who woke with a start.  Pansy was also easy to wake up, but Ron took a few minutes.  Harry wouldn’t stir.  (He had been staying up most nights because of nightmares from his recent run-in with the Dursleys.  Harry, however, had learned to cast a Silencing Charm and no one in Grimmauld Place had caught on yet.  That was why he was so exhausted, he didn’t even stir when Sirius picked him up.)

            “Ron, you gather up your and Harry’s things and I’ll shrink them for you.  I’ll carry Harry back to Grimmauld Place.”  He turned to Pansy who was cleaning up from their own party.  “Thank you for inviting Harry and Ron.  I’m sure they had a wonderful time.”

            “Oh, it was nothing, Mr. Black.  I adore Harry, and Ron is wonderful at games.  I didn’t know he was that good at Gobstones and Chess.  I’ll have to challenge him when we’re back at school.  Please, tell Harry I said good-bye and that I’ll see him in a few weeks on the train,” Pansy said.

            “I will, Miss Parkinson.  And I insist that any friend of Harry’s call me Sirius, or Padfoot if you prefer.  I’ve found that Mr. Black makes me feel old.”

            Pansy giggled and nodded.  “I know I thanked him before, but please thank Harry for me again.  He bought me these wearable stars to put on my dresses and things.  It was the perfect present and I absolutely adore them.”

            “I’ll be sure to do that.  Good night, Pansy, Blaise, Draco.  Have a Happy Christmas and New Year’s.”

            Christmas morning dawned bright and early, and Harry was one of the first ones awake.  The only other people awake were Kreacher and Remus, since the others, as mentioned earlier, were rather late sleepers.  Harry sped down the stairs, careful to be as quiet as he could be.  There were presents under the tree in the study that Harry hadn’t seen the night before, and Remus sat on the sofa sipping a cup of tea as he read the morning’s Daily Prophet.  It had become almost a ritual for the two of them to spend mornings together.  Afternoons and evenings were usually spent playing outside or going out into London, and usually with Sirius.  Mornings were his Moony time.

            **Good morning, Harry.  Happy Christmas!** Remus signed to the boy.  It never failed to warm his heart when he saw his friends and family signing to him, since the Dursleys had never bothered to learn.  It was another reminder that he was gone from that horrible home and was safe and loved.

            **Happy Christmas, Moony.  Are you ready for the big surprise today?** Harry asked excitedly.  He could hardly wait for nine o’ clock to come.  Sirius and Kreacher were going to be absolutely thrilled.

            **As ready as we could be.  Why don’t you go wake up Padfoot and Ron?  They’ll want to start opening presents.  There were several packages that arrived from Mrs. Weasley last night.**

Harry nodded and raced back upstairs, jumping first on Sirius and then on Ron.  Both of them woke up with a groan, before realizing that it was Christmas Day.  Once they were out of bed and moving, Harry raced back down the stairs to the kitchen where Kreacher was getting ready for the Christmas dinner.

            “Hey Kreacher.  Is it possible for you to stop preparations for a bit and join us for unwrapping presents?”

            If Master Harry wishes, then Kreacher would gladly come with him for presents.  Let Kreacher put a few things away.  Harry nodded as Kreacher turned back to the stove and sent the eggs back into the cooler and turned the heat off.

            Harry reached out and took Kreacher’s hand, something the old elf was still getting used to, and they walked up to the study.  Ron and Sirius were both there, looking like they weren’t quite awake yet.  Harry was just excited to see how the others reacted to the gifts he had gotten for them.

            Remus was put in charge of distributing presents, and signed to the group (Kreacher could now understand sign language, but couldn’t speak it yet).  **Who should open the first Christmas present?**

Both Sirius and Ron immediately pointed to Harry.  He looked at the others in shock.  “Wait, I have presents?”

            Sirius looked genuinely offended at the question.  **Of course, you have presents.**

            “I’ve never had Christmas presents before,” Harry said with wonder in his eyes.  Remus handed him a package, trying very hard to not show how angry he was at the Dursleys.  (He had noticed the dark shadows under his cub’s eyes and knew that he was having nightmares, even though Remus never heard the boy at night.)  The package was addressed to Harry, but there wasn’t any indication of who sent it to the boy.  Harry opened the package carefully, and pulled out a shimmery, silver cloak.

            Both Remus and Sirius gave great gasps, while Ron stared in awe.  “That’s an invisibility cloak,” he said, forgetting to sign in his excitement.

            “An invisibility cloak?”

            “Yeah, they’re really rare?  Who sent it to you?” Ron asked, looking through the wrappings.

            “There’s a note that came with it.  It says:  Your father left this in my possession before he died.  It is time it was returned to you.  Use it well.  A very Merry Christmas to you.  There’s no name with it.”  Harry studied the card and looked up at his godfathers.  They both looked like they had seen a ghost.  “Was this cloak really my dad’s?” he asked them quietly.

            Remus was the one to recover first.  **Yes, it was your fathers.  I haven’t thought about that cloak in years.  We spent so many nights crammed underneath it, wandering around the corridors at night.  Most of our pranks would not have worked without that cloak.**

Harry folded it reverently, and set it on the couch next to him.  He didn’t want to damage the cloak in any way, and had already decided that it would probably be better if he didn’t take it to school with him.  After all, he didn’t have anything that belonged to his father, and he didn’t want to lose or destroy the one thing he had left.

            The rest of the opening of presents passed by rather quickly.  Ron loved his Chudley Cannons sweatshirt that Harry had gotten him, and Remus was a little stunned to find an original edition of Charles Dickens’s _A Christmas Carol._   It was even signed by the author.  Harry had had to search long and hard for that book, and he was particularly pleased with that gift.  Sirius had immediately pulled the Quidditch jersey on and strutted about the room to show it off.

            Remus had given Harry several books on potioneering and transfiguration, as well as a small photo album containing pictures of his parents.  Harry shed several tears looking through the photos.  Sirius had given him some warm Quidditch gloves and prescription goggles, so he wouldn’t have to wear his glasses while he played.  Ron had, due to his limited funds, not been able to get anything so nice, but had gotten Harry a small box of chocolate frogs.  (They had discovered rather quickly that Harry loved chocolate almost as much as Remus did.)

            The highlight of the morning, though, was when Remus handed a box to Kreacher.  Harry and Sirius had picked out his present and were eagerly watching as the house elf gently unwrapped the package.  On top of the box was a note, and Harry encouraged Kreacher to read it first.

            _**Kreacher, we want you to feel like a part of our family.  And so, we wanted to present you with your very own Christmas stocking.  We don’t want you to think that we are freeing you, as that would most likely devastate you.  We do, however, want you to know that you are free in this house.  If you don’t want to do something, you don’t have to and we’ll all help with the cleaning and cooking around here.**_

_**Love,** _

_**Harry and Sirius.** _

            Kreacher had tears in his large eyes, as he quickly threw his arms around Harry, and then went to give Sirius a hug as well.  The house elf had found that he rather liked the feeling of being a part of a family, not just serving one.  And it definitely made Harry happy to see him so excited.  Kreacher opened the box and found a set of brand new, shiny pans, since the old ones were rather worn out.  The promised Christmas stocking sat underneath the pans.  He openly cried at this gift, exclaiming how they didn’t need to give him something so wonderful.

            After they finished opening presents, Harry looked at the clock.  It was five minutes to nine o’ clock, and he figured it would be a good idea, to probably prepare for the final gift of the morning.  “Attention everyone, but I would like to announce that there is one more gift.  It was too big to wrap, but I would appreciate it if we all made our way downstairs to the parlor.”

            The three that didn’t know about the gift shared curious glances, but followed the boy down to the parlor, none the less.  Once they were there, Harry had them all sit on the couches.  The clock in the house chimed nine o’ clock, and at the same time, there was a knock at the front door.

            Kreacher made to get up to answer the door, but Harry gently pushed him back down.  “That’s the present, and it would be best if I answered the door.”  Harry glanced at Remus, and saw that he had taken Sirius’s wand without him realizing it.  Everything was all set.

            He opened the door, and welcomed Regulus into the house, using sign language, since he wanted this surprise to be complete.  He took his coat and hung it inside the closet at the door, and then led Regulus to the parlor.  He hesitated at the door.

            “This present is mainly for Sirius and Kreacher,” Harry said as he turned to beckon Regulus forward.  The man stepped into the parlor that he had spent many afternoons of his childhood in and looked at his brother for the first time in well over a decade.

            “Hello, Sirius, Kreacher.  It’s wonderful to see you again,” he said softly.

            Kreacher promptly fainted, while Sirius jumped up, scrambling to pull out a wand that wasn’t there.  Harry quickly stepped in front of Regulus, and held his hands out placatingly.  “Look, you heard Kreacher’s story, you know that Regulus is not a Death Eater and that he actively fought against Voldemort.  Please, give him a chance.”

            Sirius stared at his brother, blinking back tears.  “But, you’re dead.  Everyone told me you were dead,” he whispered softly.

            “The rumors of my death were greatly exaggerated.  In fact, when I came to in a muggle hospital, I didn’t even remember who I was.  But, I’m back now, and I hope that we can try to be brothers again,” Regulus said softly.

            The older of the Black brothers didn’t respond, but he did nudge Harry out of the way and threw his arms around his long-lost brother.  “I thought you were dead, Reg.  You’re alive, I don’t know how, and frankly I don’t care.  You’re here, and you’re alive,” he murmured, though Harry couldn’t see what was being said.  In fact, he had missed a great portion of the conversation between the two brothers, but figured he could ask Ron to fill him in later.

            “When I saw the picture of Regulus in his old room, I recognized him,” Harry said.  “He moved onto Privet Drive when I was about five years old.  He was the one that helped me learn BSL and took care of me as best as he could.  I knew that he was alive and well when I started at Hogwarts, and I asked Remus for help.  We wanted to surprise you in the best way that we could for Christmas, and what better way than a reunion with your brother.”

            Sirius didn’t say anything; he was far too choked up with tears.  But he did hug his godson, squeezing him as tightly as he could without hurting the boy.  “This is the most wonderful gift I could have ever asked for.  Thank you, Harry,” he said as Ron signed what he was saying behind him.  It was a little difficult for people to remember to sign around him, particularly when their emotions were rather high.  Whoever was in the room at the time, would help Harry by signing what was going on.

            Harry wriggled out of his godfather’s grip and went over to the house elf that was just starting to stir.  “Kreacher, are you all right?”

            Master Regulus is home and safe.  Kreacher is so happy, he thinks he could cry.  The house elf went and threw himself around Regulus’s knees.  Rather than cry, though, he began to snort and sigh, which Sirius soon identified as laughing.  Kreacher is laughing!  He prefers this to crying.

            The family all moved their way into the kitchen talking and laughing, and just enjoying each other’s company.  Sirius and Kreacher wouldn’t let Regulus stray far from them, often reeling him in for a conversation between Ron and himself.  Ron didn’t ask the most sensitive questions, asking about Regulus’s supposed death and how he escaped.  Sirius kicked the eleven-year-old from under the table, causing Ron to mutter some rather colorful words that his mother would be horrified to hear.  (All the Weasley kids learned to swear from her after the twins were born and causing havoc.)

            Then, Ron asked a better question, how Regulus had met Harry.  The younger of the two Blacks had a sadness in his eyes, and he made sure that Harry was preoccupied with helping Kreacher with Christmas breakfast.  (This was more of a game for Harry.  He would take out the eggs from the cooler and Kreacher would immediately be by his side, taking the eggs from him and encouraging him to go sit down.  There was one particularly fabulous moment when Kreacher was distracted by scolding Sirius for tracking mud into the house when he had turned into Padfoot.  Harry had managed to cook nearly all the remaining bacon by the time Kreacher realized and sent him on his way.  Remus was watching this all, extremely amused.  Normally, he would try to coax Harry out of cooking for them, but the young boy was giggling madly any time Kreacher caught him, and the werewolf didn’t have it in his heart to stop the cause of such a pure and wonderful sound.)  Regulus filled them in on the horrors the Dursleys had done to Harry, and Ron was very glad that Harry no longer lived with them.

            They spent the rest of the day trying out their various presents.  Harry was immensely pleased when he realized that Ron’s mom had also sent Harry a traditional Weasley sweater, complete with a Golden Snitch stitched into the green wool.  Ron also got a green sweater, which he explained was far better than the usual maroon that he was given.  The only people that he hadn’t been able to give presents to yet were Minerva (he got her a lovely shawl and a large collection of assorted biscuits) and Severus (he found several rare potions ingredients, as well as _One Thousand Dark Creatures and Spells and How to Defend Against Them_ ).  He had sent Hermione, Neville, and the rest of the Slytherins their presents by post.

            That evening, their fireplace was nearly constantly green, as the Black-Lupin-Potter household had invited several of their friends for Christmas dinner.  Severus came through first, followed closely by the Weasleys that were left at Hogwarts.  After all, no one should be alone on Christmas Eve dinner.  Minerva was the last to arrive, carrying a box for Harry and a package each for Remus, Sirius, and Ron.  She encouraged Harry to open his gift right then, and he eagerly tore into the paper, too excited to take the time not to tear the pretty wrapping paper.  He held up a box that held cards that were chronologically sorted.

            **They’re the cause and date of every single detention your father ever served while he was at Hogwarts.  I thought you might enjoy learning about what mischief he got into.  And I bet Remus and Sirius would be more than happy to tell you the stories that are behind all of these detentions.**

Harry didn’t know what to say, so he threw his arms around his Aunt Minnie.  “Thank you.  This is the most wonderful gift you could have ever given me,” Harry said.

            Minerva pried his arms away from her waist and knelt down to look in the bright green eyes bright with joy.  **Now, I trust you to not get any ideas from their antics.  And I also have something a little extra.** She pulled a couple of books from her robes and held them out to Harry.  The first one was unmarked, and he focused on that one first.  Inside, in her neat handwriting, was a journal of sorts from Minerva.  She had meticulously recorded all of the pranks she had known that the Marauders had pulled, and focused on how brilliant their magic actually was.  At the top was a note to never let any of the Marauders see this book.  Harry agreed to this solemnly.  The last thing they needed was for Sirius to get an inflated ego from the praise.

            The second book looked more like one of his textbooks, and he eagerly opened it.  The title read, _Methods of Transfiguration:  A Guide to Becoming an Animagus and other Tricky Transfigurations by Minerva McGonagall._   Harry looked up at her impressed.  “This is incredible.  I didn’t know that you had published a book, Aunt Minnie.”

            **Most of this magic is far too advanced for you, but with your talent for Transfiguration, I figure you’ll be able to perform most of these by the time you’re sixteen.**

            Harry threw his arms around Minerva once again, before carefully scooping his new treasures into his arms and trotted upstairs to deliver them to his bedroom.  He came back down, and was almost immediately bombarded by a mass of red hair and freckles.  He couldn’t really see what anyone was saying, but he recognized that the twin that lifted the boy onto his shoulders was Fred Weasley.

            “Put me down, Fred.  It’s nearly time for dinner,” Harry said through his giggles.  George looked offended.

            “Excuse you, I’m Fred, as I’m obviously the better-looking twin,” he said with his hands on his hips.

            “No, you’re George and this is Fred,” he said as the twin swung him back down until his feet were once again on solid ground.  “Thanks for coming.  And it’s a pleasure to see you, Percy.”

            The other Weasley brother looked a little surprised at being called by name by the younger boy.  He figured that Ron didn’t talk about him much as he was the know-it-all brother.  “Thank you for inviting us for dinner,” Percy said, shaking Harry’s hand.

            “Come on, I expect we’ll all be spending the summer holidays jumping back and forth from Grimmauld Place to your home.  You are always welcome here,” Harry said, taking the older boy’s hand and leading him into the dining room.  Sirius had already set the table for all the guests, and they all clamored for a spot.  Harry sat next to Severus with Fred on his other side.  Across from him sat Minerva, and the empty seat next to her was meant for Regulus.  Kreacher had insisted on waiting until later that night to eat.  He didn’t want to bother the party, since not all wizards looked at house elves with compassion.  Harry wasn’t happy about it, but he recognized that that many people probably made Kreacher nervous.

            He himself wasn’t feeling too nervous, despite there being so many people at the table.  He felt right at home and perfectly happy.

            That is, until Regulus walked into the room, and McGonagall and Severus jumped to their feet, wands already drawn.  Regulus had his hands in the air.

            “Aunt Minnie, Severus, stop.  Regulus is here as my guest.  I will not have you cursing him at the dinner table,” Harry scolded the two adults, putting his hand on Severus’s arm.  “He was watching over me while I lived with the Dursleys.  He’s the one that taught me sign language.”

            The two adults slowly lowered their wands and sat back down at the table, though they were still rather tense.  Regulus moved over to the only empty chair and sat down next to Minerva.  She glared at him, until she noticed Harry’s pleading eyes.

            Regulus spoke and signed, **If it will make you feel better, I’ll tell you everything that happened after dinner.  I’ll even use Veritaserum, if necessary, but I swear I was fighting against Voldemort from the inside.** (They were all confused at the name sign he had used, until he finger-spelled Voldemort for them.  Then they laughed at the ridiculous sign for the most terrifying sorcerer the world had ever known.  It was a scissor-like movement, miming cutting off someone’s nose.  Harry snorted into his pumpkin juice when he had first come up with the name, and any time they signed the evil lord’s name, he couldn’t help but giggle.)

            Minerva sat rigid in her chair but gave a small smile.  **I suppose I can be cordial until then.  I do hope that you are not lying.**

Harry shrugged philosophically.  He figured that was as good as they were going to get for now, since Regulus was thought to be a supporter of Voldemort to the rest of the wizarding world.

            The dinner was absolutely delightful.  Severus was slowly getting better signing, and Regulus gave him a few helpful pointers.  The twins flicked peas at Ron any time he wasn’t looking, though Ron knew very well that they were behind the vegetables getting caught in his red hair.  It wasn’t until a pea landed in his pumpkin juice that he growled at the twins to leave him alone.  They were the picture of innocence.  No one but Harry had seen Sirius flick the last pea at Ron, nor did they see the grin he was sporting.  Percy scolded the twins which caused both Harry and Sirius to burst out in laughter at the bemused and offended faces of the twins.

            All in all, it was a wonderful evening full of laughter.  Sirius even managed to coax Minerva into telling a few stories of the Marauder’s years at Hogwarts.  The twins were in awe and looked at Remus and Sirius as though they were their new idols.  Which, knowing them, they would probably get bad ideas from the journal and detention cards Minerva had given to Harry.

            Eventually, Severus ushered the twins and Percy back to Hogwarts, since it was long past curfew.  He came back about fifteen minutes later with a package in his arms.  He gave it to Harry who eagerly looked inside the box.  It was a specialized potion set with several rarer ingredients and a book with recipes for Polyjuice Potion, Wolfsbane, Amortentia, and several other complex and advanced potions.  He also included a notebook for Harry to create his own potions and write the recipes down on.

            Harry and Ron, realizing that the adults needed to speak together, ran upstairs after wishing them all a good night and a Merry Christmas.  Harry ran up to Regulus’s old room, and bade Kreacher a good night, giving him some biscuits that the boy had bought for the elf, knowing that Kreacher was partial to ginger.

            The adults talked long into the night, Regulus explaining about everything that he could remember, up until Harry reappeared after nearly four months of being gone.  Minerva gave the man a hug, remembering the bright little boy that loved magic and loved his brother even more.  She was sad, thinking about how much the two Black brothers had been through over the last decade.

            Severus summoned a teapot, and poured them all a cup of tea.  “Now for the more serious matter.  Are you sure that Voldemort created Horcruxes and that he created more than one?”

            “I would stake my life on it.  I’ve seen what he is capable of, as have you Severus.  You know that he fears death more than anything else in the world, and Horcruxes offer him a sort of immortality.  As long as they are all unharmed, he will continue to live.  That’s why I decided to keep an eye on Harry while he was at Privet Drive.  The Dark Lord will return, and we need to make sure that we are prepared for that eventuality,” Regulus said seriously.  (Pun definitely intended.)

            The adults sat quietly for a moment, thinking about the ramifications that this information might cause.  Eventually, Remus spoke up.  “As much as I hate to say it, but perhaps we should alert Dumbledore to this problem.  He’s the only one I can think of that would know how to find the other Horcruxes, if there are any others, and how to get rid of them.”

            Severus and Sirius immediately responded with anger, while Regulus and Minerva thought about it for a minute.  Severus shouted at Remus for a few minutes before remembering that there were children asleep upstairs, even if Harry couldn’t hear them.  He turned to his colleague.  “Minerva, I don’t think it’s a good idea to include Dumbledore in anything important at this point.”

            “As much as I hate to admit it, Albus Dumbledore has one of the greatest minds of the century.  He also knew You-Know-Who before he became the evil being that we know him as.  He might have some ideas as to what he would choose to make into a Horcrux,” Minerva responded with a sigh.

            Regulus stood up, suddenly.  “Sirius, I know that you cleaned the house and got rid of any dark magic, but did you by chance throw away a large golden locket with an S on it?”

            “I remember seeing it, and both Remus and I tried to open it, but it wouldn’t budge.  We probably threw it away.”

            “That was the Horcrux I had managed to find.  If we still had that, we could have worked out how to destroy it.”

            Remus spoke up, “I know that Kreacher snuck several items from the throw-away sack.  He might have taken that, especially since he thought you had died retrieving it.  We should ask him in the morning.  As for now, I’d say that Lord Voldemort is not coming back in the next year or two.  We can afford to wait and go about this problem smartly.  Let’s research everything we know about Horcruxes before we involve Dumbledore.”

            They all nodded and Minerva and Severus Floo-ed back to Hogwarts.  Sirius led Regulus to one of the guest rooms while Remus cleared up the mess.  It had been a rather exciting holiday, and they were all exhausted and ready to go to bed.  And so, they did, not realizing just how close Voldemort really was to returning to the wizarding world.


	12. A Dragon and a Dog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hagrid gives Harry his Christmas present.

            The halls of Hogwarts were once again buzzing with activity, though one little boy didn’t seem to notice the hordes of people shoving their way through the hallways.  His eyes were searching for any face he recognized.  He waved to the twins who waved back, grinning wildly.  He found Marcus and talked to him about the Quidditch practice schedule.  It wasn’t until someone shoved up against him that he found himself being scooped up off the floor and high into the air.  Harry looked into the beaming face of Hagrid and grinned excitedly.

            “Hagrid, it’s so wonderful to see you!”

            The large man carried the boy over to a bench nearby and set him down on it, out of the way of the trampling crowds.  His hands were free, and he began to move his fingers clumsily.  Harry was delighted to realize that Hagrid was signing to him.

            **I’ve got a Christmas present for you, but it’s not quite ready yet.  I think it’ll be ready in three weeks, if you’d like to join me for tea that Friday.**

            “Tea on Friday, three weeks from now.  I’ll be there,” Harry promised.

            Hagrid gave him a great big smile and waded through the students towards his little hut.  He had no idea what Hagrid had gotten him for Christmas, but he was distracted by Draco appearing, the little star dragon dozing on his shoulder.  They eagerly caught up with each other, heading to the Great Hall for a nice dinner.  (Harry still wasn’t eating much.  Any time he had more than a small bowl of oatmeal or porridge, or a small slice of shepherd’s pie, he began to throw up.  This still greatly concerned his friends, but they had a plan that they were ready to put into motion.)

            The rest of the Slytherin first-years were sitting at their table, and Harry and Draco joined them.  Harry waved to Neville from across the hall and said hello to Justin Finch-Fletchley and Ernie Macmillan from Hufflepuff house.  The professors watched these exchanges with pleasure.  They had been trying to encourage inter-house friendships, but had not succeeded until one Harry Potter came to Hogwarts and decided to befriend everybody.

            The group of friends quickly got back into the swing of things at Hogwarts, focusing on their studies, enjoying the occasional prank that the Weasley twins pulled, and trying not to think about The Sorcerer’s Stone.  Hermione and Ron and Draco were able to start implementing their plan to have Harry eat small meals throughout the day, and he found himself always pleasantly filled.

            There weren’t any other threatening notes delivered to the Gryffindors, though they had the twins and Neville looking out for anything suspicious.  Harry’s friends refused to let him go anywhere alone, which was a little bit of a shock for Harry after spending a decade alone besides the Dursleys.  In fact, he had taken to waking up hours before anyone else in order to get some time to himself.  Occasionally, one of the other Slytherins would wake up to find Harry fast asleep on one of the sofas in the common room, a book in his hand, and his glasses crooked on his face.

            When the day came for Harry to meet Hagrid for tea and presents, Harry made sure he had his friend’s present before making his way down to the small hut after Potions.  He had gotten Hagrid a special edition, signed copy of _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ , complete with protections against fire, water, acid, slime, and any other harmful substance in magizoology.

            Harry had never liked knocking on doors, since he couldn’t hear if anyone was telling him to come in.  Since he had escaped his friends, who were far too concerned about him, he didn’t have anyone to knock for him, or tell him if someone had invited them inside.  So, Harry knocked.

            A couple minutes later, Hagrid appeared, his face red, and the heat from inside the cabin warming Harry to his bones.

            **I’m glad you came.  Why don’t you come in, Harry?**

Harry smiled up at his big friend, and sat down at the large table, his feet coming no where near the floor when he sat on one of the giant chairs.  The tea cup in front of him was nearly as big as a kettle, and Harry eyed it with great concern.  He still wasn’t eating very much, despite his friends’ best efforts, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to finish any cup of tea from that large thing in front of him.

            He pulled out the package that he had brought and set it on the table, sliding it over to the big man who had sat down across from him.  **Happy Christmas, Hagrid!**

            There were quite large tears that were shed when Hagrid realized the amazing gift his young friend had given him.  Harry found himself being scooped up into a hug, nearly being crushed by the giant of a man.  “Hagrid, I can’t breathe,” he gasped out.

            Quickly, he was set down again.  **I’ve got something to show you.  I’ve been working on this with Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall.  I also made sure to get permission from your godfathers, seeing as how you’re going to be living with them now.**

Hagrid led him out the back of his cabin and to a small clearing in the Dark Forest close to its edge.  Inside, Harry realized that Fluffy was standing there, all three of her heads panting with excitement and her tail knocking several trees down.

**We created a vest for her, so that she can shrink down to any size and looks like a regular dog to muggles, and she’s been trained to follow your commands.  Basically, she’s going to act as your ears, so when someone’s calling you and you can’t hear them, she can let you know.  We’ve also trained her to not attack anyone unless they are hurting you.  She’s bonded to you, and she’s been anxiously waiting to be reunited with you.**

            Harry walked towards the giant, three-headed dog, and she shrunk down to nuzzle up against the boy without knocking him to the ground.  Fluffy was practically wiggling with excitement, and she licked at Harry’s face, causing the boy to giggle.

            “Thank you so much, Hagrid.  I wanted to go see her, but everyone forbade me to go anywhere near her.  She’s wonderful, Hagrid!”  Harry turned and launched himself at the big man, embracing him tightly for one of the best presents he had ever received.

            Together, followed closely by Fluffy, who didn’t want to be too far away from her new master, they headed back to Hagrid’s hut after the man said he had something he needed to keep an eye on.  That something was what looked like an egg, sitting in a pot over the fire.  It was shifting from side to side, and Harry watched it curiously.

            The shells burst apart, and Harry realized he was right in assuming it was an egg.  In fact, it was a dragon egg, that had just hatched a dragon.  The tiny little reptile looked up at the two humans with intelligent eyes.  It trotted up to Harry and sniffed him before settling down next to his arm and curling up into a small ball.

            **Oh, he’s so cute.  Look at him all cuddly and sleepy,** Hagrid gushed over the tiny dragon.

            “Hagrid, isn’t owning a dragon illegal in Great Britain?” Harry asked nervously.  He knew that Hagrid had wanted a dragon, but he also knew that they were incredibly dangerous.

            **I read up on that, and if a dragon bonds with a person, then they are allowed to keep it, since being away from it’s human will cause the dragon to die.  But, generally, yes.  Owning dragons is illegal.**

            “You, know all of this signing about dragons is funny, because the sign for dragon is Draco’s name sign,” Harry laughed as he looked down at the sleeping baby.  He was curious about it, and wanted to pet its glimmering scales.  But he knew it was a bad idea to disturb a dragon.

            A circle of fire began to form around the dragon, and Harry yelped in shock.  He found that he couldn’t move, his eyes fixed on the form of the baby.  The flame then circled around his arm, and there was a tickling sensation on his wrist.  In front of his eyes, he saw a small mark being formed on his skin in the shape of a dragon and was mimicking the movements of the dragon on the table.  A white band was formed on the front leg of the baby next to his arm.

            **He bonded to you, Harry!  You’ve bonded to a dragon!** Hagrid signed eagerly, though he did look a little sad that he wasn’t the one to form a bond.  **You’ll need to give him a name.**

            “I’m sorry to say, Hagrid, that this dragon is not a he, but a she, though I’m not sure how I know.  So, I’ll need to give her a name.  I came across a name a little while ago that meant Little Dragon.  I think her name should be Kaida.”

            The dragon stirred a little, and Harry watched it in awe.  He had never seen a dragon in real life before, the little toy one he had bought for Draco not counting.  He had to admit, he understood why Hagrid loved them so much.

            “I think I should write to Ron’s brother, Charlie, to find out more about this dragon, and what it means to be bonded to her.  Do you have some parchment and a quill?” Harry asked Hagrid.

            Hagrid scurried off to collect the required parchment and quill, and, rather than move his right arm and disturb the dragon, he simply grabbed the quill with his left hand and scrawled out a quick note to Charlie.  Almost as if she knew that she was needed, Hedwig flew down and settled on the windowsill of Hagrid’s hut.  (Harry had originally been left-handed, but the Dursleys didn’t think that was normal.  They forced him to learn to do things with his right hand, going so far as to break his left arm to prevent him from using it.  Harry was now ambidextrous.)

            Harry offered the letter to Hagrid who obligingly tied it to the owl’s leg and gave her a small treat before sending her on her way.  “Thank you, Hagrid.  And I’m sorry.  I know how much you wanted to have a dragon, and you wish she would have bonded to you.”

            **No, she belongs with you.  Dragons are destined to have one bonded human, and this one was yours.  But I can take care of her if you’d like.  It’d get a little cramped if she stayed up in the castle with you.  I’ve read a little on bonds, and as long as she knows you’re nearby and safe, she’ll be perfectly happy.**

            “Thank you, Hagrid.  I really appreciate it.  And, you’ll get to help me raise her, so in a way, you will have a dragon.”  Harry glanced behind Hagrid and realized it was dark outside.  “Is it that late already?  I’m out past curfew, and if Filch finds me, I’m going to definitely get detention.”

            Harry hurried out of the hut and up to the castle, his new service dog trotting faithfully behind him.  Thankfully, the large doors to the Entrance Hall were not locked, and Harry slipped inside, trying to close them softly.  He had almost made it to the stairs down to the Dungeons, when a hand grabbed him roughly and whirled him around.

            He came face to face with a furious Filch.  “What are you doing out of bed, boy?  Getting into trouble?”

            “I’m so sorry, Mr. Filch.  I was down visiting with Hagrid and lost track of time.  I honestly didn’t mean to stay out so late,” Harry said, desperately pleading with the caretaker.

            “You think you can weasel out of trouble, do you?  Well, then, you’ll be serving detention with your other little friends who think that they can wander around at night.  Now, I’ll be escorting you to your common room, and notifying Professor Snape in the morning.  Rest assured, he will be taking points from you tomorrow, and hopefully expel you.”  
            Harry gulped as he was frog-marched down the stairs and in front of the wall leading to the Slytherin common room.  He nervously said the password, and the door opened for him.  Rather than risk increasing Filch’s wrath, Harry scrambled inside, with Fluffy on his heals, nearly knocking Filch over with her bulk.  The right head snapped grumpily at the old man’s leg, and he leapt back snarling.  But before he could retaliate, the wall slammed shut on his face.  (He was long ago forbidden from entering any of the common rooms, and instead the house elves cleaned the dormitories.)

            Hermione and Draco were pacing anxiously in front of the fire, and when the door opened, they turned to face it, their faces hopeful and upset at the same time.  The witch stomped over to her friend, causing him to back away nervously.  She pulled him into a hug, and once she felt the tension in his body, she immediately let go, stepping back a few paces to give him room to breathe.

            **Where have you been?  We’ve been worried sick!**

            “I’m sorry, Mione.  Hagrid said he had something for me, and so I went to have tea with him.  I guess I lost track of time.  I’m really sorry for worrying you both.”

            **Why do you have a three-headed dog following you?** Draco cut in as he came over to his friend.

            “Oh, this is Fluffy.  Hagrid, Severus, and Aunt Minnie have been working to train her to be my service dog,” Harry said, patting the middle head of the Cerberus.  “It was my Christmas gift from Hagrid.”

            Whatever Draco and Hermione were going to say to him, was cut off by a certain redhead barreling down the dormitory stairs and launching himself at his best friend.  Harry was squished, and could barely breathe.  He could feel Ron talking, but there was no way for him to know what he was saying.  “Ron, let me go, I can’t breathe.”

            He stepped back swiftly and continued to shout at him.  “you been?  We’ve been worried sick!  What if somebody had attacked you again, but this time we didn’t find you in time?  You could be dead right now, and we would have no idea!”

            “I’m really sorry, Ron.  I swear, I lost track of time while I was visiting with Hagrid.  I didn’t mean to make you all worry,” Harry said, his head ducked as though he was expecting a blow.

            Ron took Harry back into his arms.  He made sure that Harry could read his lips as he said, “I’m sorry for yelling at you, Harry.  I’m just really glad you’re alright.”

            Fluffy had been softly growling at Ron, as if sensing his anger, but calmed down when she realized that he wasn’t going to hurt her pup.  She was going to protect this little boy that had captured her heart so fully.  She butted one of her heads against Harry’s knees, nearly knocking him over.

            “Alright, alright,” he giggled.  “Fluffy, meet Ron, Hermione, and Draco.  They’re my friends.”

            She carefully approached each of the students, sniffing them and deciding that they were safe for her pup to be around.  She allowed them to pat her heads, and then, upon noticing how exhausted Harry looked, nudged him towards the couches in front of the fire.

            His friends followed him, and sat around him.  Draco was looking curiously at the service dog vest Fluffy was wearing.  **What does service dog mean?**

**A service dog is a dog that is trained to assist their owner.  There are dogs that act as guides for blind people, dogs that can tell when their owner is going into a panic attack or a seizure, and in Fluffy’s case, dogs that act as ears for Harry.  When someone calls his name, she’ll let him know,** Hermione signed.  Draco nodded and knelt down next to the dog.  He touched the vest and carefully examined it, not wanting to startle Fluffy in any way.

            Ron grabbed Harry’s wrist and signed, **What is this?  I know you didn’t have this when we last saw you.**

            “Oh, that is a long story, and why I’m so late.  Can you guys keep this quiet?  I don’t want Hagrid to get into trouble.”  His friends all nodded, and Harry took a deep breath.  “When I went to visit Hagrid, his hut was extremely warm.  After we went and got Fluffy, we came back and I noticed an egg in the fire.  Hagrid had somehow gotten a hold of a dragon egg, and was going to hatch it and raise it.”

            **Wait, this is a bond mark!  The dragon bonded to you?** Ron asked excitedly.

            “Yeah, she didn’t even go anywhere near Hagrid, just curled up next to me.  Then this fire ring appeared and circled around the dragon and my wrist, and this mark appeared.  I swear, I wasn’t trying to own a dragon, she just bonded to me.”

            Hermione looked thoughtful.  **I’ve read about bonding before, and it’s actually really rare.  Each dragon is predestined to bind to a human, but most dragons never meet their humans.  It’s incredible that yours found you.**

“That’s what Hagrid said, too.  I mean, I’ve never heard of bonding and only recently realized that dragons exist because Ron was talking about his brother.  Speaking of Charlie, I sent him a letter explaining what was going on.  I figured it would be a good idea to learn everything I could about dragons and what it means to be bonded to one.”

            **Do you know what type of dragon it is?** Ron asked.

Harry shook his head.  “I don’t know much about dragons.  I have no idea what type it is.  But if you want, you could come with me to visit Hagrid tomorrow.  I want to see her again.”

            His friends lit up at that idea.  Hermione was the first to sign to him.  **We would love to.  What did you name her?**

“Kaida.  It means Little Dragon.  I think it fits perfectly.  By the way, Filch said that I would be joining some of you guys in detention.  Who got caught by him?”

            Draco and Hermione looked at each other sheepishly.  **Filch caught us, as well as Neville.  Ron and everyone else were able to sneak back to their common rooms.**

            “Wait, their common rooms?  Not back here?  Who else was looking for me?”

            **Ron’s twin brothers, Dean and Seamus, Parvati, Justin Finch-Fletchley, and Terry Boot.**   **There were people from every house looking for you.  The teachers were turning a blind eye, but Filch was out to get us.  Even Peeves was helping by distracting that horrible man.**

            “I am really sorry that I worried everyone.  I’ll try to at least tell people where I’m going next time,” Harry said sheepishly.

            Draco shook his head.  **Someone is specifically targeting you and everyone that is friends with you.  We can’t let you go off by yourself.  It’s too dangerous.**

            “I know that you guys want me to be safe.  I’m just not used to having people around all the time.  My aunt would lock me away without any human contact for hours, and sometimes days at a time.  I do appreciate that you guys want me safe, it’ll just take time for me to get used to having someone beside me at all times.”

            **Well, we’re here to stay.  We’ll give you space if you need it, just let one of us be within eyesight at all times.  Will that work?**   Hermione’s expression was understanding, and she wanted to find a solution that worked for Harry while still keeping him safe.

            “I think that’ll be okay.  We’re within eyesight most of the time anyway.  Remind me at breakfast tomorrow, that I need to thank everyone for looking for me.  It was really kind of them.”

            Ron put his arm around Harry’s shoulder while Draco signed next to him.  **Of course.  You’re stuck with us for the rest of your life, Harry.  You won’t be able to get rid of us any time soon.**

            The four of them headed up to bed, with Fluffy following Harry and making herself comfortable at the foot of her master’s bed, not knowing that she would be awoken to Theo’s scream the next morning.  (He was teased mercilessly for the following week, even though several of their other dormmates were also terrified of the Cerberus initially.)

            Harry looked down at his bond mark, realizing that it was moving.  The silhouette of the dragon had curled up and was sleeping on his wrist.  Harry went to sleep, eager to see his new pet the next day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter was a lot shorter than 10 was. Also, I didn't think Harry would be the type of person to name the dragon Norbert(a) and so I changed it to Kaida, which means Little Dragon.


	13. The Dark Forest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry goes into the Dark Forest for Detention.

            A week later, Filch approached the group of Slytherins and Neville during dinner in the Great Hall.  “You four are going to serve detention tonight.  Meet me in the Entrance Hall at eleven.”

            Harry hadn’t been able to read his lips since he was focused on eating the roll and turkey on his plate.  He looked up to see Draco swallow nervously, Hermione go pale (or as pale as her dark skin would allow), and Neville shudder.  “What’s going on?”

            Pansy answered from where she sat next to him.  **Filch wants you four to meet him in the Entrance Hall tonight at eleven to serve your detention.  Honestly, it’s not too late to talk to Professor Snape and see if he can get rid of your detention.**

“No, Pans.  I broke the rules, and I need to be willing to accept the consequences.  Besides, detention can’t be all that bad.  If he makes us scrub the Great Hall floor with lye, that might be an issue, but other than that, it won’t be too bad.”

            Draco thought back to his conversation with Madame Pomfrey and Hermione up on the Astronomy Tower the last time Harry had gone missing.  Those muggles must have done something awful to him if he thought that whatever Filch could dish out wasn’t too horrible.  He didn’t even know what lye was, but he figured it wasn’t good by Hermione’s expression.

            The rest of the day passed relatively quickly, and as the time came for the four students to head out to meet Filch, Harry realized how nervous he actually was.  Neville was visibly shaking he was so scared.  (It wasn’t uncommon to find Neville in the Slytherin common room, seeing as how most of his friends were there.  And if any of the older Slytherins threatened their Gryffindor, the first-years would declare war on that person.  Now that Harry had a pet dragon and a Cerberus, they figured it would be a better idea to ignore the presence of a Gryffindor.)

            Filch met them by the doors.  “Follow me,” he said as he lit a lamp and headed outside.  “I bet you’ll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won’t you, eh?  Oh yes . . . hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me . . . It’s just a pity they let the old punishments die out. . . hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I’ve got the chains still in my office, keep ‘em well oiled in case they’re ever needed . . . Right, off we go, and don’t think of running off, now, it’ll be worse for you if you do.”

            Harry couldn’t really see what Filch was saying, but Hermione interpreted for him.  He signed back, **It must be really awful if he’s so happy.  Do you have any idea what he’s going to make us do?**

Hermione shook her head.  She reached out and took Harry’s hand, while Neville took his other and Draco walked in front of them, almost as a guard in case someone tried to attack Harry.  They headed down the hill towards Hagrid’s hut, where the lights were on.  The others heard Hagrid shout towards them, but Harry remained ignorant.

            “Is that you, Filch?  Hurry up, I want ter get started.”

            When they stopped in front of the small hut, Harry’s heart rose, just a little, but it must have shown on his face because Filch grinned nastily.  “I suppose you think you’ll be enjoying yourself with that oaf?  Well, think again, boy—it’s into the forest you’re going and I’m much mistaken if you’ll all come out in one piece.”

            Draco paled at this, and Neville’s grip on Harry’s hand tightened.  The forest was dark and gloomy, living up to its name.  Hagrid came striding towards them out of the dark, Fang at his heel.  He signed towards the kids.  **All right, you lot?  I bin waitin’ fer half an hour already.**

            “I wouldn’t be too friendly with them, Hagrid, they’re here to be punished, after all.”  Filch’s smile sent chills down Harry’s spine.  He stared into the dark, looking around at the forest and trying to see into the gloom.  He had a bad feeling about this detention, but knew there was no way for them to get out of it.

            Hagrid glowered down at the caretaker.  **That’s why yer late, is it?  Bin lecturin’ them, eh?  ‘Snot your place ter do that.  Yeh’ve done yer bit, I’ll take over from here.**

            “I’ll be back at dawn, for what’s left of them,” Filch leered at the students and hobbled up to the castle, his lantern bouncing lightly.

            The four students turned to Hagrid.  “What are we going to be doing tonight?” Harry asked.

            **Somethin’s bin killin’ unicorns in the forest.  There’s one that’s injured, and we’re goin ta find it.  By the way, Harry, Kaida is doin’ jus’ fine.  She’s growin’ fast, she is.  I’m glad ya brought Fluffy with ya.  It’ll be nice to have another dog with us in the forest, and Fluffy is the best protector we could ask fer.**

            Harry grinned and patted the left head of his new dog.  She was a loyal dog, and refused to be left behind, even if Harry was simply going to the bathroom.  Fluffy was taking her role as his protector very seriously, and his friends were less concerned about Harry wandering off and getting attacked with the Cerberus following him everywhere.

            They headed into the Dark Forest, the students following the large form of Hagrid, who was holding his giant crossbow out in front of him.  Draco and Neville went first, then Harry, with Hermione in front of the dogs.  It was far too dark for Harry to communicate with his friends, and he was extremely nervous.  He couldn’t hear, and with it being so dark, he couldn’t see.  He was effectively helpless.  Harry could feel himself start to panic, memories of long weeks locked up in a tiny dark cupboard filtered into his mind.  Logically, he told himself that he was at Hogwarts, that he was walking with his friends, and they were going to save a unicorn, but his brain wasn’t accepting logic.  He could almost see Aunt Petunia’s thin face scowling at him, and Uncle Vernon snapping a belt behind her.

            A hand gripped his, and he started.  Hermione was behind him and had noticed how uneven his breathing had become.  She was concerned that he was going into a panic attack, and the last thing they needed was for Harry to run off into the forest.  “I can’t see, Hermione.  I’m really scared,” Harry whispered back to his friend.

            She squeezed his hand gently, and then a small light appeared behind him.  He could now see where he was going, and the panic began to dissipate.  The others looked back at Hermione, but upon seeing Harry’s ashen complexion, they understood that the light was needed.

            “Thank you, Hermione,” whispered Harry.

            Hagrid suddenly stopped ahead of them.  Off to the side of the path was a silvery liquid that seemed to glow in the dark.  He stooped and stuck one big finger into it.  He said something, and Draco turned to sign to Harry.  **Unicorn blood.  It must not be far away.**

            They kept walking on the path they were following and they ended up in a clearing.  Hagrid stopped once again and swung his big crossbow up, pointing off to their right.  Neville was clutching the back of Draco’s robes and Draco had his wand out in front of him.  Hermione’s grip on Harry’s hand had tightened painfully, and he figured they could hear something in the forest.  He turned to where his friends were looking just in time to see a large figure come out of the bushes.

            It was a centaur.  The horse’s body was a gleaming chestnut color, while the man had wild red hair.  “Good evening, Hagrid,” said the centaur.  He came forwards, towards Hermione’s light as if knowing that Harry needed light to see what he was saying.  “I see you’ve brought young Harry Potter and some of his friends into the forest.  I am Ronan.”

            “It’s good to meet you, Ronan,” Harry responded a little shakily.

            The centaur turned towards Hagrid.  “There’s something evil loose in the forest, killing unicorns.  I assume that’s why you’re in the forest tonight.”

            “There’s a unicorn wanderin’ aroun’ hurt.  We’re trying to find it.  Have you seen it, Ronan?”

            Ronan looked up at the sky above them and the stars that glittered up there.  “Mars is bright tonight.”  He looked back down at the group, his eyes finding Harry’s.  “Always the innocent are the first victims.  So it has been for ages past, so it is now.”

            “Have you seen anything unusual,” Hagrid asked, rather impatiently.

            “Mars is bright tonight.  Unusually bright,” Ronan said as he looked skyward once more.

            There must have been another noise in the forest, because Hagrid once again swung his crossbow up towards their right.  A second centaur trotted out of the dark and stood next to Ronan.  He was wilder, his body covered in black fur, and his hair and beard as untamed as Harry’s was.

            “Good evening.  I hope you are well, Hagrid,” the centaur said.

            “Hello, Bane.  Look, I’ve just been askin’ Ronan if he’s seen anything unusual in the forest.”

            The second centaur looked up and said, almost reverently, though Harry didn’t know that, “Mars is bright tonight.”

            Hagrid shook his hairy head, and was probably grumbling.  He led the four students out of the clearing and back into the forest.  He turned and looked at them and signed, **Never try an’ get a straight answer out of a centaur.  Ruddy stargazers.  Not interested in anythin’ closer than the moon.**

            They turned and kept walking.  Harry could see drops of the silver blood on the ground.  It was because he was so focused on looking for the blood, he noticed something rather odd.  “Hagrid,” he called out.  “You might want to look at this.”

            Hagrid walked past Draco and Neville and squatted down to look at what Harry was pointing at.  There was a separate trail of blood that split away from the ones they were following.  Hagrid shook his head.

            **I’m not sure why there’s two trails, but we best split up.  Could be that there’s another unicorn hurt out there.  If you find the unicorn, send up green sparks with your wands, and if you get into trouble, send up red.  I want Draco to go with Harry, and you take Fluffy with you.  She’ll be more than enough protection for the two of you.  Neville, Hermione, come with me.**

The group split up, Draco and Harry following the path that Harry had found.  They were both extremely nervous, and Harry could feel Draco trembling next to him.

            Suddenly, his friend grabbed his arm.  Harry couldn’t see what he was saying, but he was put on alert, peering into the darkness as best as he could.  The only thing he could see was the gleaming drops of blood that wandered through the trees.  There were several smears across trunks, as if the unicorn staggered up against the trees.  “The unicorn must be hurt really badly,” Harry murmured as he examined a large puddle of the blood.

            They walked on for several more minutes, Draco taking the lead and Fluffy walking behind them both.  Harry kept peering out into the dark, his heart beating fiercely as he tried to let his senses search the surrounding area.  He noticed something bright out of the corner of his eye.

            “Draco, look over there.  There’s something white and gleaming on the ground.”

            The two boys crept towards the white object on the ground, and Harry gave a gasp.  It was the unicorn, tragic and beautiful as it lay on the ground, its slender legs bent at awkward angles.  Harry had never seen anything so beautiful, yet so sad, and he felt a tear roll down his cheek.

            “I think it might be dead,” Harry whispered.  It seemed wrong to talk any louder.  Harry stepped towards the unicorn, ignoring Draco’s hand reaching to pull him back.  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a nearby bush quiver, and Harry turned towards the movement, his wand drawn out.  A hooded figure seemed to rise from the ground, and crawled towards the unicorn like some stalking beast.  The boys stood, transfixed, while Fluffy stepped in front of them.  The figure reached the unicorn and bent forwards, putting its head over the wound on the animal’s side.  Harry wasn’t sure what it was doing, but figured it wouldn’t be anything good.

            Draco ran from his side, most likely screaming.  The picture in front of Harry was terrifying and disturbing, but he couldn’t seem to look away.  The hooded figure raised its head and looked straight at Harry.  It had unicorn blood dribbling down its front.  It got to its feet and seemed to glide across the ground towards Harry.

            He felt an incredible pain split his forehead, and Harry fell to his knees, his hand clutching at his scar.  It had been a while since he had felt pain this intense, and he could feel himself starting to pass out.  Rather than give in to the darkness, Harry raised his wand and fired red sparks at the figure.  Fluffy bounded forward and snarled at the figure snapping all three of her jaws at him.  It turned and seemed to disappear into the darkness.  Fluffy made to follow it, but Harry called her name.

            The pain in his scar wasn’t there anymore, and Harry felt his breathing begin to even out.  Fluffy nuzzled his face, trying to see if he was okay.  Harry let out a giggle.  “I’m okay, Fluffy.  Just a little shaken, is all.”

            A hand grabbed his arm, and Harry immediately whirled, pointing his wand at whoever touched him.  Hermione put her hands in the air, showing that she meant her friend no harm.  He relaxed slightly.

            **What happened?  Are you okay?  Draco said that you were attacked.**   Hermione’s hands practically flew through the words.

            “I’m okay.  What was that thing?” Harry asked.

            Hagrid walked past them and approached the unicorn.  “It’s dead.  The poor thing died not too long ago, it looks like.  I’ll take care of it later, after I get you four back up to the castle.”

            Harry was a little shaky on his feet, and he leaned heavily on Hermione.  Neville grabbed his other side, helping the witch to support his weight, though she could have easily handled the young boy.

            “Let’s get you lot back up to the castle,” Hagrid said as he led the way back to the main path in the Dark Forest.  It seemed to take forever for the group to make their way back to Hagrid’s cabin, and from there, up to the castle.  Hogwarts loomed like a fortress against all evil, and Harry breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the beautiful turrets.

            When they got to the Slytherin common room, Harry sunk into an armchair gratefully.  He was far too exhausted to make it up to his bed in the dormitories, and he decided that he was going to fall asleep out by the large fire.  The adventure in the forest had left Harry shivering with cold.  “I vote we talk about what happened in the morning,” Harry said.  “Neville, go ahead and take my bed.  I think I’m going to sleep down here, tonight.”

            The friends exchanged glances, and Hermione ran up the stairs to retrieve some extra blankets she had in her trunk and came back down.  “Here, this will help you stay warm.  We’ll see you tomorrow, Harry.”

            She leaned down and gave him a brief hug before heading up to her bed.  Neville and Draco followed up behind her, and Draco offered to let Neville borrow some of his sleep clothes.  The Gryffindor accepted gratefully.  The last thing Harry thought was that the figure in the forest might be what has been attacking his friends.

            Harry was awoken suddenly by someone jostling his shoulder.  He opened his eyes, and looked into the bright blue eyes of Pansy Parkinson.  “Hiya Pans.  How’d you sleep last night?”

            **Great!  Now come on, everyone’s waiting for us in your dorm.**

Harry yawned and stretched his arms and stood up slowly.  He gathered up the blankets that Hermione had lent to him for the night and followed Fluffy and Pansy up the staircase to the dormitories.

            Pansy looked backwards at her friend and stifled a giggle.  Harry’s hair was wilder than she had ever seen it, and he barely had his eyes opened enough to see where he was going.  He was dragging his feet, and every few seconds would let out a yawn.  In short, he was adorable.

            The boys were all waking up while the girls sat on the various beds.  Vincent just turned over in his sleep, completely ignoring that anyone was trying to wake him up as did Greg.  Blaise grumbled and pulled his pillow over his head, but eventually sat up.  Hermione sat next to him on his bed.  Ron was, surprisingly, wide awake, as was Draco and Theo, who were usually morning people.  Daphne and Millicent sat on the foot of Harry’s bed, giggling a little as Neville emerged from the covers.

            Harry flopped onto Ron’s bed, and the others gathered around on Harry’s, Ron’s, and Blaise’s beds.  They all chatted quietly together while Harry slowly woke up.  Finally, Harry was able to peal open his eyes and blinked at his friends.

            “Is there a reason why we’re all meeting here?” he asked.

            Hermione nodded from her spot beside Blaise.  She spoke as well as signed.  **We need to discuss what happened last night.  Harry was attacked while we were serving detention in the Forbidden Forest.  We think it has something to do with what’s been happening.  Harry, can you tell us what you saw?  
          **“We found a unicorn that was killed.  There was a figure that came and started to drink the unicorn’s blood.  I’m not sure why.  But then, he looked up at me, and started coming towards me.  My scar started to burn painfully, and I shot some sparks at it.  Fluffy tried to bite it, and it ran off.  That’s basically what happened.”

            They sat in silence, watching their little friend.  Ron put his arm around his friend, drawing in the boy towards his warmth.  Harry was still cold from the night spent in the forest, and he welcomed the warmth Ron offered.

            Pansy spoke up.  **My mum told me that only people who have nothing to lose and everything to gain drink the blood of a unicorn.  The instant their lips touch the blood, they are cursed with only a half-life.**

            **Who do we know of that would be willing to curse themselves like that?** Ron asked, his hands accidentally hitting Harry’s face occasionally.

**I think I have an idea,** Neville announced from Harry’s bed.  **My gran says that You-Know-Who is still out there, barely alive.  I think that he would be desperate enough to drink unicorn blood.**

Harry sat up straight.  “If Quirrell is behind all of the attacks, since he was the one jinxing my broom, then it might have been him in the forest.  But that doesn’t explain why my scar hurt.”

            Blaise spoke up, signing along, since his BSL had greatly improved over the Christmas break.  **Maybe it’s because your scar is a curse scar.  It would react to the person that gave it to you.  Which means that was probably You-Know-Who out there.**

“Voldemort doesn’t have a body, though.  So, how was he so solid out in the forest?”

            His friends all shook their heads.  None of them had an answer for their friend.  Daphne spoke up.  “So, what should we do about this problem?  I mean, this seems to be the same as the notes, and we already told Professor Snape about those.”

            Theo answered this question.  “I think that it would be a good idea to inform Professor Snape, and Harry should probably send a letter to his godfathers, let them know what was going on.  Other than that, I don’t think we should be going out of our way to confront Quirrell or cause any trouble.  We should also probably stay away from Filch.”

            “I don’t go looking for trouble, Theo.  Trouble seems to follow me everywhere,” Harry said.  All of his friends chuckled, knowing just how true that statement really was.  “Come on.  Let’s head down to breakfast,” Harry said.

            Ten minutes later saw the Slytherins plus one Gryffindor filing into the Great Hall.  There were a couple professors eating already, and Harry spotted the twins talking quickly together with their friend, Lee Jordan.  Harry caught the words “prank” and “caught” and “tomorrow.”  He chuckled and decided to not let anyone know what he had seen.  The twins excelled at their pranks, and they never failed to make people laugh.

            Harry grabbed a pancake and an egg, hoping to be able to eat both.  He watched the dragon on his wrist roll around, chasing her tail and flying.  Kaida was in a playful mood that morning.  Harry resolved to pay her a visit that afternoon, and spend time playing with her.  He was startled out of his thoughts by the appearance of his owl.

            “Hedwig!  It’s so good to see you.  How was your flight, girl?” he asked his owl, stroking her feathers.  She leaned into his hand and nipped playfully at his fingers.  He grabbed a sausage off of Ron’s plate and fed it to her before offering her his goblet to drink from.  While Hedwig was refreshing herself, he untied the letter that was on her leg.

            “Oh, it’s from Charlie,” Harry said and opened it eagerly.

           _ **Dear Harry,**_

_**I would be delighted to answer your questions about dragon bonding.  Bonding is really rare in the wizarding world, and only happens once in a lifetime for the wizard or witch involved.  From your description of Kaida, I would say she is a Norwegian Ridgeback, which is a rather rare form of dragon.  Make sure that she’s well taken care of.  I will try and visit over Easter break, so I can teach you more about dragons.  In the meantime, I would recommend checking out books from the library on raising and caring for your dragon.** _

_**One really cool thing about bonded Norwegian Ridgebacks is that after they are fully mature, they are able to shrink to a small size so they can follow their human around.  It takes them about four months to reach full maturity, so by the time term ends, Kaida should be able to shrink and grow at will.  If you are in danger, Kaida will rush to your side, which is rather helpful if you are at all similar to my twin brothers.  Since they are rather snake-like, dragons are also able to understand Parseltongue, which is not very common, but helpful for communicating with them.  If you’d like, I could send you a book on Parseltongue so you could start trying to understand and talk to Kaida.** _

_**Tell Hagrid that he should not try to obtain another dragon egg.  He was lucky that you were there to bond with Kaida, but in the future, it would be wise to not participate in any more illegal activity involving magical creatures.** _

_**I would also like to let you know that it would be a good idea to contact the Department of the Control of Magical Creatures as soon as possible to register your bond.  I’m sure you wouldn’t want Kaida taken from you.  They’ll be able to provide you with the proper paperwork and literature for taking care of a dragon that has bonded to you.** _

_**I’ll see you at Easter.** _

_**Sincerely,** _

_**Charlie Weasley** _

            Harry handed the letter to Ron, while Hermione read over his shoulder.  “Kaida is a Norwegian Ridgeback, and she can speak Parseltongue.  Isn’t that so cool?” Harry said.

            Blaise leaned forward.  “You’re not a Parselmouth, though.  Parselmouths are really rare.  Most people associate them with evil wizards, especially since Salazar Slytherin was one of the most famous Parselmouth in history.”

            “Professor Snape found a letter that my mother left for me.  She told me that I am a Parselmouth, and that I’m descended from a family called the Peverells.  Apparently there have been several from that family.”

            Neville cut in, “I’ve never heard of the Peverells before.  I think the only European person I know of that speaks Parseltongue was Slytherin.  But I have heard of lots of people from India that are Parselmouths.  It’s a far more common gift in that country.”

            “That’s really interesting.  I guess I might have Parselmouths on both sides of my father’s family.  My Grandma Potter was from India,” Harry said thoughtfully.

            “Wow,” said Theo.  “Can you try to say something in Parseltongue right now?”

            Harry shrugged.  “I don’t know if I can.  I mean, I accidentally set a python on my cousin Dudley once at the zoo.  I didn’t mean to, but the snake was lonely.”  He tried to say hello, just like he did to the python, and by the shock of his fellow classmates, he managed it.

            **I had no idea that you could do that,** Draco signed.  Harry blushed and shrugged his shoulders, trying to not bring more attention to him.

            “I honestly didn’t really know until I read my mother’s letter.  Apparently, they bought me a python named Nagini, and we were nearly inseparable from each other.”

            Ron grinned at his best friend.  **I can catch a snake from the backyard at my house, if you want a new pet.**

Harry stuck his tongue out at Ron.  The other students laughed and they quickly finished up their various breakfasts.  Harry had eaten the egg, and was halfway done with his pancake before he felt the familiar nausea.  He pushed his plate away, and focused on what his friends were saying.  Ron handed the letter back to him, and Harry tucked it into his pocket, deciding that he will answer the letter later that afternoon.  After all, Hedwig couldn’t make the long trek to Romania every day, and she needed to rest.

            The Slytherins spent a day out at Hagrid’s hut, playing with the quickly growing dragon and patting Fluffy on her head.  Harry loved being surrounded by all of his friends.


	14. Into the Belly of the Beast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They go through the trap door. Don't worry, they don't act like Gryffindors, they're still Slytherins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the climax! Yay! Let me know what you guys think of the story so far. Also, there's a lot of things I wanted to include in this story, but didn't fit in the plot, so I'm going to do a deleted scenes fic.

            The last few months before the end of term were extremely difficult for Harry.  The schoolwork wasn’t necessarily difficult for him, since he was a good student, and had Hermione and Draco to help him when he didn’t understand a concept.  Ron was still jealous of Harry’s incredible talent with nonverbal spells, but was proud of his friend anyway.

            Harry felt rather confident in his exams, and was looking forward to his first summer with his godfathers.  Professor Flitwick had all the first-years charm a pineapple to tap dance across the desk top.  McGonagall had them transfigure mice into snuffboxes; points were given on how pretty the snuffbox looked, while points were taken away if it still had whiskers.  In Potions, they all struggled to remember exactly how to make a Forgetfulness Potion. 

            Throughout all of the exams, Harry’s scar kept prickling, which was highly concerning for his four guardians.  They weren’t sure what it meant or why Harry was hurting after the encounter in the forest, but they came to the same conclusion the eleven-year-olds did.  Lord Voldemort was on the grounds of Hogwarts and Harry was in danger.  At times like this, Severus secretly thanked the Sorting Hat that Harry Potter had not been sorted into Gryffindor, since this would most likely result in the boy trying to solve the problem on his own.

            However, Slytherins are known for their cool use of intellect, and Harry had made sure to inform Severus and Minerva of what happened in the Dark Forest the very next day, and informed them of the pain in his scar.  It wasn’t nearly as blinding as it had been that night, but it was enough to distract him from his studies, to the annoyance of Hermione.

            “Come on, Harry.  We only have History of Magic left, and then we’ll be able to relax,” Hermione coaxed her friend.  They were sitting in the common room, long after curfew, studying for the final exam the next day.  Harry kept zoning out and rubbing his scar, rather than paying attention to Hermione’s questions.

            It was a little difficult having a friend that was deaf, since they couldn’t hear you when you were encouraging, or as Ron would call it, nagging them to study.  But in a way, it was helpful for Harry.  In order for Hermione to properly quiz him, he needed to either focus on her hands or her lips.  But he could also just turn his head, and she had no way of communicating with him, until he decided he was ready to go back to studying.

            **We only have a week before we get our results back, and we’ll be heading out for the summer holidays.  Mum has already insisted on you coming over to visit sometime this holiday.  She wants to see you again, since she hasn’t seen you since Platform 9 ¾.** This was Ron’s way of encouraging Harry to focus, although he wasn’t doing much better with his revising.

            The History of Magic classroom was stuffy and hot, warm enough that even Harry felt himself overheating.  He normally was slightly chilled, regardless of the season, and that first week of June was sweltering.  It was a relief to be out of that heat and relaxing by the Black Lake.  Harry looked out over the calm water, watching as George and Fred and their friend Lee waded into the shallows to tickle the giant squid.  He chuckled to himself when he saw Fred get hit with a jet of purple ink, instantly dying his skin a dark indigo.  His twin laughed at him and they headed out of the water, no doubt to find a way to get Fred back to normal.  His skin tone clashed rather horribly with his hair color.

            The sun was pleasant, and Harry soon found himself drifting off, thinking of all the adventures he was sure to have that summer.  Sirius and Remus had sent him a letter earlier that day, and he had eagerly showed it to Ron.  It had said that Mrs. Weasley and his godfathers had arranged for Harry to stay with the Weasleys for two weeks during the summer.

            It was later that night, that Harry realized that he hadn’t seen Neville at all that day.  He normally waved to them at meal times, if he didn’t sit with them, and they usually had at least one class together.  But Neville was nowhere to be found.

            Harry was worried, to say the least.  He knew that someone had been targeting his friends, and since Neville was the only close friend in a different house, he didn’t have the protection that all the Slytherins provided.  It wasn’t until nearly eleven that night that Harry went up to the dorm room and found a piece of parchment lying on his pillow.

            I’ve taken your friend.  You will retrieve the Sorcerer’s Stone for me or you will never see Longbottom again.  Come alone, Harry Potter.

            Harry felt himself start to pass out, and quickly sat down and stuck his head between his knees.  He needed to think about this logically.  It was a bad idea to do what the note said, but Harry also knew that there was a strong likelihood that Neville would be hurt by Quirrell.  He could go to Professor Snape and show him the note, since he was one of the teachers that was most likely to have put safeguards on the Sorcerer’s Stone.  If not Severus, then he could go to Aunt Minnie.

            Harry stood up and grabbed his wand and his dad’s invisibility cloak, grateful that Sirius had sent it to him during the Easter holidays along with a note saying “Just in case.”  Harry ran down the stairs, nearly plowing into Ron and Hermione.  They had been up playing wizard’s chess, and had probably just finished the game.

            **Where are you going, Harry?  What’s wrong?**   Hermione asked her friend with a look of concern.

            “I found this note on my bed.  I’m going to go show it to Professor Snape.”

            **We’re coming with you,** Ron signed, a look of determination on his face.  No one was allowed to hurt his friends.

            The three of them headed down the stairs, and out into the corridor in the dungeons.  Harry had decided to leave Fluffy behind, telling her to stay and keep a look out over the rest of his friends.  They tried Severus’s office first, but there was no answer.  There was also no answer when they knocked on his personal chamber doors.  The three friends shared a concerned look.

            “Let’s go find Aunt Minnie.  She’ll know what to do.”

            They all knew that Filch was on the prowl that night, and rather than be caught, Harry swung the cloak over the three of them, making sure that their feet weren’t sticking out.  They carefully walked down the corridors, and up the staircases until they reached Minerva’s quarters.  Once again, there was no answer.

            **What should we do?** Ron asked.  There were only two adults that they trusted in the school, and both of them were not available.

            Harry signed to his friends, not wanting to make any sound.  **We can’t let Quirrell hurt Neville.  Why don’t we leave a note for Aunt Minnie and Severus just in case they come back?  In the meantime, let’s go save Neville.**

They agreed, and once the note was written and stuck to the door, the three eleven-year-olds made their way back to the third-floor corridor.  It took them a little bit to find the correct door, but when they did, Hermione easily opened it.

            They weren’t exactly sure what to expect as the guardian of the trap door, now that Fluffy was Harry’s service dog.  Inside, they found a Sphinx sitting on the door.  Cautiously, the three approached the severe-looking woman with the lion body.

            “In order to advance, you must answer a riddle.  You can only guess once, and if you get it wrong, I will eat you.  You may ask to repeat any part of the riddle if you wish.  If you leave now, no harm will come to you.” the Sphinx said.

            Harry pulled the cloak off of the three of them.  “Do we each need to answer a riddle, or will we all be able to pass through unharmed if one of us answers correctly?”

            “Since you are all so small, I will ask two riddles, to be answered by two different people, in order for the three of you to pass.  The first riddle is this:

What has roots as nobody sees,

Is taller than trees,

Up, up it goes,

Yet never grows?”

            The three of them thought for a moment, before Ron, surprising his friends, answered, “I’ve heard this riddle before.  Is it a mountain?”

            The Sphinx bowed her head.  “This is your second riddle.

You measure my life by hours

And I serve you by expiring.

I’m quick when I’m thin

And slow when I’m fat.

The wind is my enemy.”

            Harry began to pace back and forth.  He needed to solve this riddle soon, or Quirrell might end up killing Neville.  He thought about the lines about expiring.  “Is it alright if I think out loud?” he asked the Sphinx.

            She bowed her head, indicating that it was alright with her.  “Okay, if it’s expiring, then it’s dying.  And so, if it’s thin, it dies quicker, and if it’s fat, it dies slower.  Its life is measured by hours, and the wind is its enemy.  What is something that dies or fades quickly when it’s thin?”

            He stretched his mind, thinking of all things he had seen die.  Nothing seemed to fit the requirements.  A light flickered out of the corner of his eye, and a memory came to his mind.  When he was nine, he had stolen a candle from his Aunt Petunia so he could see in his dark cupboard.  It was a thin candle, unlike the ones the Dursleys used to make the house smell nice, so it didn’t last very long.  And he had to shield it from the draft that came from outside.

            “It’s a candle.  The answer is a candle,” Harry said confidently.

            “You have fulfilled my requirements.  The person you seek has already made it past the fourth challenge.  Go forward without fear, young ones.”  The Sphinx stood to the side, and allowed Harry and Ron to lift the heavy trapdoor.  There was a dark hole, with no visible ladder to let them climb down.

            **I guess we’ll have to jump,** signed Hermione.  She looked a little sick at that prospect.

            “Why don’t I go first,” suggested Harry.  “After all, I’m the lightest and I have the highest pain tolerance, so I’ll probably have an easier time down there.”

            Ron shook his head and, rather than wait for Harry to argue, jumped in immediately.  Hermione grabbed Harry’s arm, preventing him from following immediately after.  “Ron says that the landing is pretty soft.  You go next and I’ll follow.  Make sure to get out of the way, so I don’t land on you.”

            Harry grinned at his friend and jumped.  It wasn’t a particularly long fall, and he soon landed on what felt like a plant.  He scrambled out of the way, and a second later, Hermione landed next to him.  She immediately jumped up, though and ran to the edge.

            “Look out!” she shouted.  Harry could barely make out her lips to read what she was saying.  He glanced around, and noticed that his legs were tightly bound by cords from the plant.  Ron was in a similar situation.  The vines made their way upwards, until there was one squeezing Harry’s chest.  He had no idea what Hermione was saying, nor what Ron was saying.  All he knew, was that he couldn’t breathe with the pressure on his chest and that there was a vine wrapping its way around Ron’s neck.

            Suddenly, Hermione’s bright blue fire swirled around them, and the plant immediately retracted its vines, freeing the two boys.  Harry made his way over to Hermione, not eager to become tied up again.  It was rather reminiscent of his time with the Dursleys.

            “What was that thing?” Harry panted, trying to get air back into his lungs.

            Hermione lit her wand, and held it by her mouth.  At this point, since they needed their wands, it was easier to lip read.  “It’s called Devil’s Snare and it prefers the dark and damp.  Ron suggested that we use fire.  He kept a rather cool head.  I admit, I was panicking a bit when I saw the two of you all wrapped up.  He reminded me that I have a wand and a rather useful spell for fire.”

            “Well, I’m glad we’re out of there.  Now come on.  The Sphinx said that Quirrell was at least four challenges ahead of us.  We need to try to catch up so he doesn’t get the Stone,” Harry said.  He pointed to a door that they hadn’t noticed in all of the hubbub of the killer plant.

            They walked through it and Ron and Hermione grabbed Harry’s arms to prevent him from walking across the room.  The room was filled with, what looked like birds.  “Do you think they’ll attack us if we try to cross?” asked Ron.

            “Let’s find out,” responded Harry.  He stepped into the open, ready to leap back into the protection of the doorway.  The birds didn’t respond in any way.  He took a few steps and then ran to the door when he realized that they weren’t attacking him.  However, the door was locked.  Hermione and Ron joined him at the door, and Hermione tried her Unlocking Charm.  There was no effect.

            Harry turned from the door and studied the birds, sure that they held the answer to this puzzle.  The birds were all jewel toned, and were glistening in the low light.  “Wait a minute, birds shouldn’t glisten,” he muttered.  Upon looking closer, Harry realized that they were not birds at all, but keys that were flying through the air.  “They’re keys.  One of them must unlock the door,” he called to his friends.

            Ron strode over to a corner where there were several broomsticks in a pile.  He grabbed one for each of them and handed them to his friends.  Hermione took hers hesitatingly, since she was not very fond of flying and wasn’t good at it.  Nonetheless, she hopped on, ready to help her friends.  This was where Harry could help with the challenges.  He wasn’t the youngest Seeker in a century for nothing.

            Before they took off, Ron said, “We’re probably looking for an old-fashioned silver one, to match the door knob.”

            They took off, Harry swooping in between the keys with ease.  He studied each one that he came close to and ruled them out one by one.  Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed an odd movement.  One of the keys was fluttering strangely, almost as if it had been injured.

            Harry flew closer to it, and realized that it was the exact match for the door they were trying to get through.  “Guys I found it.  It’s the one with the bent, blue wings.”  He swiped at the key, but it dodged him easily.  Despite the fact that the key was injured, it was still a good deal faster than the young Seeker.  He was sure that if he had his Nimbus 2000, he would have been able to catch it in a minute.  However, these were old school brooms, and a butterfly could out fly them.

            “Ron, why don’t you come from the top, while Hermione comes from the bottom.  We’ll try to pin it in the corner over there,” Harry instructed his friends.  They followed his orders without question, and Harry darted towards the key.  It fluttered in between it’s assailants, until Harry pinned it against the wall with a horrible crunch that the boy felt rather than heard.

            They flew to the ground, and Harry inserted the key into the keyhole.  The door swung open, and the key flew back to join its companions, its wings a little more bent than they were before.  The three friends entered the next room, and were stunned to find themselves on the edge of what looked like a battleground.  “What is this place?” Hermione asked.

            Ron strode out into the middle, leaving his friends on the edge.  He turned back to them and gestured towards the towering figures.  “It’s wizard’s chess.  There’s the door behind the white players.  We’ve got to play our way across to the other side.”

            He walked up to one of the black knights and touched the horse’s side.  Immediately, the horse and its rider sprang to life.  The knight turned his head to look at Ron while the horse pawed at the ground.

            “Do we—er—have to join you to get across?”  The black knight nodded and Ron turned to his friends.  “All right, Harry, I want you to be the King.  There’s a less likely chance that you’ll be hurt that way.  Hermione you go there, instead of that castle.”

            The two of them made their way to the places Ron had assigned them as the current pieces walked off the board.  Harry looked at his best friend.

            “What are you going to be?” he asked.

            “I’m going to be a knight.”  The redhead took the vacated place of the black knight closest to the King.  “White always plays first in chess,” said Ron, peering across the board to the other pieces.

            As he said that, a white pawn moved forward two squares.

            Ron directed the black pieces as easily as he did his own battered chess set.  They moved to their assigned squares without argument.  Harry was worried.  This felt like his Aunt Minnie’s magic, and she was an incredible chess player.  What would happen if they lost?

            The first shock happened when they lost their other knight.  The white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him to the side of the chess board.  The knight lay quite still, as if he had really been killed.

            Ron’s face was white.  This was just like his set of wizard’s chess, only this time, the stakes were much higher.  “I had to let that happen,” he muttered.  Hermione couldn’t hear him, but Harry could see what he said.  “Hermione, go ahead and take that bishop.”

            The white pieces were ruthless as they battered at the black pieces.  Soon enough, there was a large pile of black pieces stacked up against the wall.  Ron was a very good chess player, but he was playing against a master.  There were two times that Hermione came very close to being taken by the white side, and Ron only just caught it in time.  He himself darted around the board, taking almost as many white pieces as the black pieces they had lost.

            “We’re almost there,” he said.  “Let me think.  Let me think. . .”  the white queen turned her face towards him.  “Of course, it’s the only way.”

            “What’s the only way, Ron?” asked Harry.

            “I’ve got to let the queen take me.  That’ll leave the bishop free to take the king.  It’s the only way we’re going to win this game,” Ron said sadly.

            Harry shook his head, not wanting to believe what he was seeing.  He glanced over at the still black figures and he could easily picture Ron’s pale, freckled face lying with them.  Harry looked across the board, taking note on which pieces were where.

            “What if we sent the other bishop in your place.  That way, you don’t have to sacrifice yourself, but the queen would still be out of position to protect the king.”

            Ron looked at his friend in surprise.  “That would actually work.  I think you’re right Harry.”  The redhead sent the bishop to that square, and the queen immediately knocked the bishop across its head and dragged it off to the side.  The black bishop moved three spaces to the left, and the white king took off its crown and threw it at their feet.  They had won the game.

            The three of them charged through the door, grateful that they weren’t forced to leave one of them behind.  “What do you reckon will be next?” whispered Harry.

            “Well, we’ve had Hagrid’s with the Sphinx.  I assume Professor Sprout was the one that set the Devil’s Snare and Professor Flitwick charmed the keys.  McGonagall transfigured the chess pieces and made them alive.  I would bet that Quirrell helped to protect the Stone, as well as Professor Snape.  One of those would be my guess,” Hermione surmised.

            They traveled through a long corridor before coming to the next door.  Ron tried it, and found that it was unlocked.  He opened it slowly, not knowing what to expect.  A pungent odor assaulted their noses, and immediately, Harry pulled his robes over his face to mask the stench.

            “What is that smell?” he asked.  Ron and Hermione didn’t bother answering, since Harry wouldn’t be able to see their answers.  They had covered their faces the same way he had.  Besides, it became quite evident that the smell was coming from a large troll.  It was a good ten feet taller than the one they had beaten on Halloween.

            Thankfully, this one was lying on the ground with a bloody lump on its head.  “I think Quirrell already knocked it out.  I’m really glad we don’t have to fight this one,” Harry whispered.  He led the way across the room, stepping over the large legs as best as he could.

            Through the next door, they found a table with seven bottles in a row, and a piece of parchment in front of them.  As they stepped across the threshold, two fires sprang up in the doorways.  The one leading forward was colored black, while the fire behind them was purple.  “This must be Professor Snape’s,” said Hermione.  She approached the table without fear and picked up the parchment.  She read aloud:

“ _Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,_

_Two of us will help you whichever you would find,_

_One among us seven will let you move ahead,_

_Another will transport the drinker back instead,_

_Two among our number hold only nettle wine,_

_Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line._

_Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,_

_To help you with your choice, we give you these clues four:_

_First, however slyly the poison tries to hide_

_You will always find some on nettle wine’s left side;_

_Second, different are those who stand at the either end,_

_But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;_

_Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,_

_Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;_

_Fourth, the second left and the second on the right_

_Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.”_

            “What is that?” asked Ron.

            “It’s brilliant is what this is.  Our head of house is absolutely brilliant.  This isn’t magic—it’s logic—a puzzle.  A lot of great wizards haven’t got an ounce of logic, they’d be stuck here forever,” Hermione said.

            “Well, do you know how to figure it out,” asked Ron.

            “Give me a minute,” snapped Hermione.  She read through the clues again, and paced in front of the bottles, muttering to herself and pointing at them individually.  After about five minutes, she clapped her hands.

            “I’ve got it!” she cried.  “The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire, towards the Stone.”

            The bottle looked tiny, and Harry eyed it curiously.  “It looks like there’s only enough potion for one person to get through.  It’s hardly a swallow.”

            Ron spoke up, “Which one will get us back through the purple flames?”

            Hermione pointed at the bottle at the right end of the line.  It looked like it had more potion in it.

            Harry looked between his friends and grabbed the smallest one.  “I’ll go forward and rescue Neville, and then meet you guys here.  We’ll all drink from the one that gets us back, and we’ll run for the nearest teacher.  I’m sure Quirrell has already got his hands on the Stone.”

            Ron was shaking his head.  “Absolutely not.  You’re injured far too easily, and we don’t need you spending the next four weeks in the hospital wing.  Besides, what if Quirrell kills you in there?  We won’t be able to meet you.”

            “Ron, I’ve got to go forward, I can feel it.  I’m the one that Quirrell wanted, and so I’m the one he is less likely to kill on sight.  He asked for me to come alone, after all.  And besides, you could have one of you head back now, and fetch a teacher while the other waits here.  If I’m not back in ten minutes, send an owl to Sirius and Remus.”

            Without letting either of his friends argue, Harry unstopped the bottle and drank the potion.  It wasn’t nearly as horrible as the nutrient potions that he had to take every day, and he swallowed it with ease.  “I’ll see you both soon, and I’ll bring back Neville.”

            Harry stepped through the black flames.  They didn’t burn his skin, merely providing a tickling sensation.  He moved through the door, and into a large chamber.  It was empty save for Quirrell standing in front of a large mirror.  There was no Neville in sight.

            Harry stepped further into the room, hoping that Neville was just hidden.  He even looked up, remembering that Draco and Hermione had found him levitating upside down.  There was no Neville Longbottom in the chamber.

            “What have you done with Neville?” Harry yelled at the man.

            Quirrell turned to face him, a sickening smile on his face.  Harry had always had a hard time reading the man’s lips, due to the insufferable stutter he had.  Plus, Quirrell had never used the subtitles that so many other Professors used.  He was perfectly able to read what Quirrell said, this time.  “Oh, my dear boy.  I never took your friend Neville down here.  It was a ruse to get you here alone.  And it obviously worked.”

            “You better not have hurt him,” Harry said.

            “He’s not worth hurting.  Sure, it might be a bit of fun to torture the boy, but he’s definitely worthless to me.  Now, you’re what I need,” Quirrell said as he motioned for Harry to join him in front of the mirror.  “I’m sure you’re a little shocked to see me here.  You probably thought that Severus was the one that was going to try to steal the Stone.”

            Harry shook his head, backing away from the man.  “We’ve known it was you for ages.  Ever since the first Quidditch match.”

            “You may be smart, but I’m sure you’re relying on your dear head of house to come rescue you.  But I know a secret.  Severus hates you, Potter.  He went to school with your dad, and they loathed each other, you know.  He even betrayed your parents to the Dark Lord.  But never mind all that.  Come here, Potter.  NOW!” Quirrell said.  He stuck his hand out towards Harry, and Harry found himself being compelled forward against his will.  When Harry was standing next to the evil DADA professor, he was able to get a good look at the mirror.  “Yes, take a good look, Potter.  This’ll be the only time you’ll ever see it.  Dumbledore found the Mirror of Erised.  It shows you what your heart desires above all else.”

            Harry looked in the mirror, not seeing any thing but himself and Quirrell.  “Are you sure that’s what this is?”

            “Yes, trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this.  He’s in London, talking to the Wizengamot.  Severus and Minerva followed him there, leaving you quite alone tonight, Harry Potter.”

            Quirrell was staring hungrily into the mirror, as if it really did offer him his heart’s deepest desire.  “I can see myself holding the Stone.  I’m handing it to my master.  But how do I get it?”

            Harry was watching the man closely, looking for any chance he had to escape.  But the second that he took a step back towards the door he had come from, Quirrell snapped his fingers.  Ropes conjured out of nowhere and bound Harry tightly, knocking him to the ground.

            “What are you planning on doing with the Stone?” Harry asked angrily.  He rolled over slightly, so he could read Quirrell’s response.

            “My master is going to use it to regain his body.”

            “Is that why you were drinking the unicorn blood?” Harry asked.

            “You’ve been nosy, Potter.  You and your little blood traitor friends have been sticking their noses in all the wrong places.  I tried to warn you to keep to yourself, but you never listened,” Quirrell quipped without glancing towards Harry.  “Eventually, I realized that you were the key to getting the Stone, so I left that note for you.  I had Longbottom serving detention with Filch all day, so you would be worried about your little friend and fall for my trap.”

            “Where is your master?”

            “He’s always with me, Potter.  I met him when I travelled around the world.  A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil.  Lord Voldemort showed me just how wrong I was.  There is no good or evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it,” Quirrell said quietly.  “Since then, I have served him faithfully, though I have let him down many times.  He has had to be very hard on me.  He does not forgive mistakes easily.  When I failed to steal the Stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased.  His punishments were horrible, and he decided that he needed to keep a closer eye on me.”

            Harry thought quickly.  It had been well over ten minutes since he had entered the room, so Hermione was most likely on her way to send an owl to Sirius and Remus.  Neville was safe, though he didn’t know where he was.  The two adults he trusted the most, were not in Hogwarts, and neither was Dumbledore.  If he wasn’t stopped, Quirrell would surely get the stone.  Besides, Harry was still wrapped up in ropes, and completely unable to move.  (The only reason he wasn’t panicking, was because he was so full of adrenaline and the need to survive.  If he had a panic attack, there was no way Quirrell would keep him alive.)

            He needed to find a way to keep the Stone out of Quirrell’s hands and get back to the third-floor corridor.  Harry inched to the left to see if Quirrell noticed his movements.  There was no sign that he was paying attention to the boy he had tied up on the ground.

            Quite suddenly, Harry heard a voice.  He froze.  It was a high, cold voice, with an underlying hissing sound.  _Parseltongue_ , Harry thought to himself.

            “Use the boy. . . Use the boy. . . “the voice said.

            Harry looked around desperately, trying to locate the origin of the voice.  It was extremely disorienting to finally be able to hear, after being deaf since he was seven.

            Quirrell snapped his fingers, and the ropes fell away from Harry, allowing him to move.  “Come here, Potter.  Tell me what you see in the mirror.”

            Harry didn’t want to upset the professor and risk getting killed, so he did as he was told.  He stood in front of the mirror and was surprised to see his parents looking back at him.  Harry whirled around, but the only person behind him was Quirrell.  He turned back to the mirror.  There were his parents and all his friends behind them.  There was Sirius and Remus waving merrily at him and an old man with knobby knees exactly like Harry’s.  It was his family.  Lily leaned down towards him and whispered in his ear.  The mirror Harry smiled at the words, and the real Harry realized that he could hear in the mirror.  How was it possible?

            Then, he remembered what Quirrell had said.  It was the Mirror of Erised; it showed you what your heart desired.

            A blow knocked Harry forward towards the mirror.  His head began to spin and he looked at Quirrell.  He was saying, “I asked you to tell me what you can see, boy.”

            “I’m sorry, but I’m deaf.  I couldn’t hear you talking and I couldn’t see your lips to see what you were saying,” Harry said.

            “I don’t care, boy.  You will tell me what you see, now.”

            Harry looked back in the mirror and opened his mouth, about to tell Quirrell the truth when the thought came to him, _I need to lie.  It’s the only way to survive._   “I see myself with my friends.  We won the house cup.  Now I’m shaking hands with Dumbledore.”

            In the mirror, James handed Harry a blood-red stone and the boy stuck it in his pocket.  Harry felt something heavy land in his own pocket, and realized that he must have somehow gotten the Sorcerer’s Stone out of the mirror.  He needed to get out of there, immediately.

            Harry was just about to run towards the door when the cold voice froze him in his tracks.

            “He lies. . . He lies. . . “

            Quirrell whirled on Harry.  “Potter, tell the truth.  What do you see?”

            The voice spoke again.  “Let me speak to him. . . face-to-face. . . “

            “Master you are not strong enough,” Quirrell said as his hands fidgeted.

            “I have strength enough. . . for this. . . “

            Harry couldn’t move, he couldn’t think, he couldn’t even breathe.  Quirrell reached up and began to slowly unravel the turban he had worn all year long.  The cloth fell away, and the professor’s head looked unremarkably small without it.  Then, he turned around.

            At any other time in his life, Harry would have screamed at such a horrible sight, but he was rooted to the spot, trying desperately to breathe.  On the back of Quirrell’s head was another face.  It was a horrible face, one that would give the eleven-year-old nightmares for months to come.  It had red, slit-like eyes, and nostrils where there was no nose.  The face was chalk white, a stark contrast for Harry’s own brown skin.

            “Harry. . . Potter. . . “it whispered.  “See what I’ve become?  Mere shadow and vapor. . . I have form only when I can share another’s body. . . but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds. . . Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past few months. . . you saw Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest. . . and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own. . . Now. . . why don’t you give me that Stone you’ve got in your pocket?”

            Harry stumbled backwards, away from that horrible thing.  He had to keep the Stone away from what must be Voldemort.  That thing killed his parents, and he refused to let it back into the world.

            “Don’t be a fool, Harry Potter,” the face snarled at him.  “Better save your own life and join me. . . or you’ll meet the same horrible end as your parents. . . They died begging me for mercy.”

            “LIAR,” Harry yelled.  He knew all about his parents from stories told by Remus and Sirius and Aunt Minnie.  His parents were brave, and selfless.  They wouldn’t have died like cowards.  If they were begging for mercy, it was for that monster to spare their son.

            “How touching. . . I always value true bravery. . . Yes, boy, your parents were brave. . . I killed your father first. . . he put up a courageous fight. . . but your mother didn’t need to die. . . she was protecting you. . . Now give me the Stone unless you want her to have died in vain.”

            “NEVER!” Harry shouted as he ran for the door.  He heard Voldemort order Quirrell to seize him, and he was hoping that he would make it through the door before Quirrell caught up.

            A hand on his wrist whirled him around, causing him to come face-to-face with Quirrell rather than Voldemort.  Pain exploded in Harry’s scar, and he screamed simultaneously with the DADA professor.

            Quirrell let go of him, his hand steaming slightly and bright red.  Voldemort ordered him to grab Harry once again, and he lunged at the boy, this time, grabbing him around the neck.  Harry’s scar was almost blinding him from the pain, yet he could see that Quirrell was also in immense pain. 

            “Master, I cannot hold him.  My hands!”

            Voldemort’s voice shrieked through the pain in Harry’s head.  “Then kill him, fool.”

            Quirrell grabbed his wand and was about to perform a killing curse.  Harry lurched upwards, grabbing onto his face.  It was the only way he would be able to get out of there alive.  Quirrell howled and got off of Harry, clutching his face where it was blistering as though burned.

            Harry realized that Quirrell couldn’t touch his skin, that for some reason, he was burned when he came in contact with the boy.  He knew that the only way to get out of there was to ignore the pain in his forehead and hold onto Quirrell.  The man shrieked and tried to throw Harry off, but he held on as tightly as he did when his broom was bucking him off.  The pain in his head was building, and Harry felt himself collapse to the ground just in time to see a red burst of light.  He closed his eyes, and succumbed to the darkness and bliss of unconsciousness.


	15. The Hospital Wing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry wakes up in the hospital wing and finds out what happened after he fell unconscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting close to the end. Guess what? More changes? No way! Yep, I've rewritten a ton of the story, as you have hopefully noticed by now.

            Harry gradually woke up, taking in the brightness around him.  He could see something gold glinting above him, and he thought that maybe it was the Snitch.  His arms were far too heavy to try and catch it though.  And so, he slipped back into a dreamless sleep.

            The next time he awoke, Harry found himself being supported by Madame Pomfrey as she tried to pour potions down his throat.  Harry coughed and spat it out, surprising the mediwitch.  “Harry, dear!  You’re awake!” she cried.  She cleaned the mess up with a wave of her wand and gave the boy a great big hug.

            Sirius and Remus were standing behind her, smiling widely, though Harry could see that they were both sporting dark circles under their eyes.  **Hey cub, glad to see you’re awake,** Remus signed to him.  **We were worried for a while there.**

            “What happened?  Where’s Ron and Hermione?” Harry asked.

            **Ron found Professor Flitwick and had him go to the third-floor.  They had just gotten past the Devil’s Snare when Hermione raced towards them.  She was babbling about how you never came through, even though she waited an extra ten minutes for you.  Flitwick had Ron and Hermione send letters to us and Minerva and Severus.  He made it to you in time to Stun Quirrell and save your life.**

 **You’re very lucky to be alive, pup.  We nearly lost you down there.  Ron and Hermione are just fine, they’ve barely left your side since you were brought here.  We sent them down to eat dinner not too long ago, along with Draco and Neville.**   Sirius grinned brightly at his godson.

            “How long have I been asleep?” Harry asked.

            “Nearly three days,” Madame Pomfrey responded.  “You were suffering from severe magical exhaustion when you were brought to me.  It was touch and go, for a while there.”

            “Did I miss the End of Year Feast?” Harry asked.

            This time, Remus answered the question.  **No, cub.  That’s tomorrow.  And I doubt that Madame Pomfrey will let you out any earlier than tomorrow morning.  But you won’t miss the good food the house elves provide.**

            Harry pouted a little at this news.  He desperately wanted to go see his friends and play with his pets.  But if he was stuck in here, maybe he could ask one of his godfathers to sneak Kaida and Fluffy in to see him.

            The doors to the hospital wing were flung open, and the giant form of Hagrid pushed through.  His eyes were red and puffy, as though he was crying.  **I was so worried about ya, Harry.  I thought fer sure, yeh were dyin’.  Poor Kaida’s been desperate to come an’ see ya.  She nearly destroyed the Whomping Willow in her anxiety.**

“Is she doing any better, Hagrid?” Harry asked, concerned about his dragon.

            **I brought her up ta see ya, since she wouldn’ calm down until she saw ya.**

A face peaked through Hagrid’s large beard, and Harry smiled brilliantly at his dragon.  She gave a happy trill, to those who could hear, and to Harry, she said, “Harry, you’re alive.  I thought you were going to die, and this idiot wouldn’t let me go and save you.”

            Harry chuckled as he ran his fingers along Kaida’s scales.  She shivered in pleasure and wrapped herself around Harry’s neck, refusing to budge an inch.  “It’s lovely to see you, Kaida.  I promise that I’m okay.  I won’t be able to go outside until tomorrow, but for now, I’m fine and I’m resting.”  The bespectacled boy looked up at his friend.  “Thank you for bringing her here, Hagrid.  And I really appreciate your concern.”

            Harry was about to say more, but he caught sight of the mountains of candy and sweets that surrounded his bed.  “Where did all of that come from?”

            “You have quite a few admirer’s and well-wishers, young man.  You’ll find just about any kind of candy in that pile.  Those Weasley twins even tried to bring you a toilet seat.  It was horribly disgusting.”  Madame Pomfrey shook her head, hiding a smile from the boy.  Remus and Sirius were chuckling, remembering when James had tried to do something similar when Remus was stuck in the hospital wing after a full moon.

            Grinning delightedly, Harry reached for one of the chocolate frogs, dodging Madame Pomfrey’s hands that tried to stop him.

            The next morning, Harry was out of bed the second he was awake.  Sirius and Remus had gone back to Grimmauld Place to get the house ready for Harry’s return.  Madame Pomfrey begrudgingly scanned Harry, and cleared him to leave the hospital wing.  She gave him a sack with an Undetectable Extension Charm on it, so he could pack all of the sweets and cards he had gotten from well-wishers.  It wasn’t long before Harry was skipping down to the Great Hall, Kaida curled up around his neck.

            When he entered the Great Hall, Harry could see people pointing towards him and whispering to their neighbors.  He ignored them and made his way to the Gryffindor table.  He sat next to Neville, and put his arms around his friend.

            “I’m so glad you’re okay, Nev,” Harry said.

            Neville gave Harry a hug back, and pulled away slightly so he could read his lips.  “You’re the one everyone’s been worried about.  What were you thinking, going after the Stone?”

            “I wasn’t actually going after the Stone,” Harry said sheepishly.  “I got another threatening note that said that he had taken you hostage.  We tried to find Severus and Aunt Minnie, but neither of them was there.  So, Ron, Hermione, and I decided that we needed to rescue you.  But I’m glad that horrible man didn’t have you down there.  It was awful.”

            “Well, I’m glad you’re okay.  I came to see you as often as I could, you know.”

            “I know, Nev.  And I appreciate it so much.”  Harry squeezed Neville against him again, and whispered in his ear.  “I couldn’t handle it if you were gone.  You’re one of my best friends, Neville.”

            Harry pulled away from his friend and greeted George and Fred, who were sitting across from them.  “Hey guys.  I heard you tried to bring me a toilet seat.”

            Fred smirked.  “We would have succeeded, too, but Madame Pomfrey caught us.  Sirius was willing to try to sneak it in later, but that amazing woman caught onto his plan, too.  Anyway, we’re glad you’re alright mate.”

            George piped up, “We can’t wait until you come to visit the Burrow.  You’ll love it there.  And, we can play Quidditch.  Gryffindor versus Slytherin.  Of course, we’ll win.”

            Harry rolled his eyes playfully.  “You wish, boys.  You’re talking to the youngest Seeker in a century, after all.”

            They all laughed and then Harry stood up.  “I wanted to thank you all for the treats you gave me while I was in the hospital.  You know how much of a sweet tooth I have.”

            On his way to the Slytherin table, several kids in his year stopped to shake hands with Harry, welcoming him back to the land of the living.  Ernie and Justin were particularly friendly and kind, though Ernie was just as pompous as ever.  Terry Boot waved at him, and Susan Bones gave him a high five.

            All of that welcome was nothing like what the Slytherin table had planned.  Somehow, one of them convinced the house elves to serve a lovely chocolate cake for breakfast that morning.  They had green streamers everywhere, to the point where it looked like the Weasley twins had pulled a prank on the table.      

            Hermione and Ron looked up from where they were discussing something with the other Slytherins.  They gasped and embraced their friend.  Everyone else jumped to their feet and crowded around Harry.  He looked just as skinny as he had at the start of the year, his cheeks were hollow, his eyes dull, but he looked glad to be out of the hospital wing.

            **We were all so worried!  Is it true you faced Voldemort down there?** Pansy’s hands practically flew with her questions.

            “I’m alright, Pans.  And I guess I did face Voldemort.”  Harry didn’t notice that his friends all flinched at the name.  They could sign it, but they couldn’t say the Dark Lord’s name.  “He was possessing Quirrell, which explains why my scar has been hurting when I’m around him.  Did Hermione and Ron tell you about what happened?”

            Pansy nodded her head while Daphne shook hers.  She handed Harry her copy of the Daily Prophet.  “You’re front page news, Harry.  It’s the only thing that’s been talked about around here.  Ron and Hermione have been constantly bombarded with questions and Madame Pomfrey has been frazzled trying to keep people out of the hospital wing.”

            Harry took the paper and there was a picture of Hogwarts gracing the front page.  He began to read.

_**Hogwarts Professor Arrested for working with You-Know-Who** _

_**Professor Quirinus Quirrell, this year’s Hogwarts Professor for Defense Against the Dark Arts was found to be attempting to resurrect You-Know-Who.  Harry James Potter, the Boy Who Lived discovered this plot and was able to stop him.  Quirrell sustained heavy injuries from the encounter and died shortly after being interrogated by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.  It was discovered that he had used the Imperius Curse on a sixth-year Slytherin Student to attack a muggleborn first-year Slytherin with the use of an Unforgiveable Curse.  The school has requested that the student’s name remain anonymous to protect them from any retaliation.  The student in question has been released from the hold of the Imperius Curse, and is currently receiving medical attention.** _

_**Albus Dumbledore, well-known Headmaster of Hogwarts and Supreme Mugwump, told the Daily Prophet this: “The Sorcerer’s Stone, which Hogwarts was protecting for Nicolas Flamel, was protected by Mr. Potter.  Mr. Flamel and myself, after lengthy discussion, have decided to destroy the Stone to prevent [You-Know-Who] from obtaining the Stone in the future.”  It is believed that the renowned alchemist and his wife will soon pass away, after getting their affairs in order.** _

_**Professor Dumbledore has also extended an apology to those parents whose students are currently in attendance at Hogwarts.  He says, “We had no idea that Professor Quirrell was involved with the Dark Arts in any way.  In the future, we will be extra sure to screen our teachers to prevent this kind of problem in the future.”** _

_**What does this mean for Harry Potter, now that he has once again defeated You-Know-Who?  Turn to page 6 for more information on the Boy Who Lived and his story, as well as speculation about what the next year will bring Harry Potter.** _

            Daphne motioned to the article.  "It says that the Slytherin that attacked Hermione on Halloween was under the Imperius Curse.  When they interrogated Quirrell, he told them about the curse and the Aurors were able to free the guy.  We don't know who it was, only that he was acting involuntarily."

            Harry read through the article multiple times before he began to grasp what he had read.  He looked up to see his friends looking anxiously at him.  “Did Quirrell really die?” he asked them quietly.

            They exchanged glances for a moment before Hermione slowly nodded her head.  **I’m sorry, Harry.  St. Mungo’s, the wizarding hospital, did everything they could to save him, but his injuries were too great.**

Harry nodded, his expression pained.   _I am responsible for the death of a human being.  I killed someone,_ he thought as tears began to fall from his eyes.  Ron wrapped his arm around Harry, trying to comfort him.

            **Listen, mate, it wasn’t your fault.  You were only trying to stay alive.  Flitwick only barely stopped Quirrell from using a Killing Curse on you.  If you hadn’t attacked him, he would have killed you in a heartbeat.  We’re just glad that you’re alive.**

            Nodding thankfully, Harry pulled a slice of cake towards him, determined to finish at least that piece.  Bile rose up in his throat, and Harry quickly grabbed a goblet of water, gulping it down in hopes that he would be able to calm his stomach.  It was to no avail, however, and he ran for the nearby bathroom, barely making it in time to empty his stomach into a toilet.  There wasn’t much in his stomach to begin with, and he ended up with just stomach acid coming out, his throat burning from the pain.  He sobbed as his stomach stopped heaving.

            A hand appeared in his vision, holding a glass of water.  Harry took it thankfully, and sipped it slowly.  He rinsed out his mouth and spat into the toilet before taking another gulp of the water.  He looked up to see who had given it to him.

            Fred Weasley was standing behind him in the stall, with George looking over his twin’s shoulder anxiously.  “Are you alright, mate?” George asked.

            Harry nodded.  He flushed the toilet and closed the lid, sitting on it before his legs gave out.  “Please don’t tell Madame Pomfrey, she won’t let me out of the hospital wing for the feast tonight.”

            Fred squatted in front of the boy.  “I don’t think you were throwing up because you are sick.  I figure it’s because you saw the Prophet today.  Hermione told us what happened.”

            Tears leaked out of Harry’s eyes.  _They must see how weak I am.  Uncle Vernon always told me that men should not ever cry,_ he thought, desperately trying to stop the tears.

            George made a motion to get Harry’s attention.  “If what happened to you happened to either of us, we would be in here crying and throwing up to.  No one blames you, Harry, we’re all just worried about you.”

            Fred piped up.  “We’re always willing to listen, if you need to talk about what happened.  It can’t have been easy being down there.”

            Harry nodded his head and took another sip of water.  “I killed a man.  I’m responsible for taking a life,” Harry whispered.  “How can I possibly move on from that.  I deserve to be arrested for what I did.”

            Vehemently shaking his head, Fred immediately began talking.  “Look, no one thinks this is your fault.  You were told that one of your friends was in danger, and you took the correct steps to try to involve an adult.  Ron told us everything that happened, short of when you faced Quirrell.  You did not kill Quirrell.  You protected yourself and prevented You-Know-Who from returning.  You are not a killer, you are a hero.”

            Fred stood up and left the stall, letting George take his place.  “Come on, Harry.  Let’s get you all cleaned up, all right?”

            Harry nodded.  George held his hand out for the boy to take, and Harry took it gladly, grateful for the twins’ care.  He followed the ginger over to the sinks and washed his face in the cold water.  He drained the glass of water that Fred had given him, and finally felt that he was ready to face the world again.

            “Thank you both.  I really appreciate what you did for me.”  He looked over at Fred.  “And thanks for the water.”

            “It’s our pleasure, mate.  Our job is to help people to smile, and if they aren’t then we take it upon ourselves to make sure that they can smile again,” Fred said, putting his hand on Harry’s shoulder.  “Now come on.  Your friends are outside the bathroom, waiting for you.”

            Harry left the bathroom and was immediately embraced by Draco and Ron.  Pansy squished both of them as she joined the hug.  Through his still watery eyes, Harry saw the rest of the Slytherins gathered around him.  He also watched Hermione talk to Fred Weasley, pulling him into a hug before pulling George into one as well.  He saw her say something along the lines of “Thank you for taking care of Harry.”

            Harry breathed easier, knowing that he was surrounded by people that loved him.  He knew, despite the horrors he had experienced in his nearly twelve years of life, that he was going to be okay.

            The feast that night was glorious.  The food was incredible, though Harry wasn’t able to eat much of it.  The hall was decorated in green and silver, since Slytherin had gained the most points over the course of the year.  According to Marcus Flint, this would be the eighth year in a row that Slytherin had won the House cup.  Harry was just glad that his escapade into the belly of the castle hadn’t cost his house any points.

            Harry noticed that Professor Snape wasn’t sitting up on the table, and Professor McGonagall slipped in halfway through the feast.  Once the desserts and puddings disappeared, Professor Dumbledore stood up.  Quiet fell across the hall, though it all sounded the same to Harry.

            Hermione signed along with Dumbledore’s words so Harry could see what was being said.  “ **Another year, gone.  You have all advanced marvelously over this school year and your achievements have been great.  As I’m sure you’ve noticed, Slytherin has, once again, obtained the most House points and has, therefore, won the House Cup.** ”

            At this, cheers erupted along the Slytherin table.  Despite the fact that the rest of the hall was nowhere near as jovial, Harry still felt like they had done a good job over the year.

            Dumbledore held up his hands, quieting the hall once again.  “ **However, I believe I have some last-minute points to award.  To Neville Longbottom, for displaying immense courage and loyalty for his friends, I award thirty points.  To Fred and George Weasley, for their compassion, I award thirty points.  To Percy Weasley, for achieving top marks in all of his exams for the year, I award thirty points.**   (Hermione’s hands were getting more and more sharp as she signed, indicating her growing anger at the Headmaster.)  **To Oliver Wood, for a wonderful season of Quidditch and a great sense of leadership, I award forty points.  And finally, to the first-year Gryffindors, for encouraging house unity, forty points.  Now, if my calculations are correct, we require a change in decoration.**

            He clapped his hands, and all of the silver and green turned into red and gold.  Harry’s heart sunk.  Evidently, the prejudice against the Slytherin House was just as strong as ever.  Looking around the Great Hall, he saw a few Gryffindors celebrating, along with several Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, but a vast majority of the students in the Great Hall were scowling at Dumbledore.  He saw the Weasley twins stand up and shout, “That’s not fair.  Slytherin won this year, fair and square.  You can’t do that!”

            Even McGonagall showed her displeasure.  Her lips were almost non-existent with how tightly she was pursing her mouth.  Her eyes glinted angrily at the Headmaster, knowing that he was not being fair to any of the students.

            Harry turned his attention back to Hermione who was still interpreting for Dumbledore.  **Now, before I dismiss the feast, Deputy Headmistress, Professor McGonagall, has asked that she speak a few words.**

Dumbledore sat down, and Minerva stood up, this time signing so that Harry could understand her.  **In light of the events of this year, we have decided to offer a new class next year as a sub-class of Muggle Studies.  You will get credit for Muggle Studies if you decide to take this class.  It is only offered to students third-year and older, as it is an elective course.  I’m pleased to announce that the new class that will be taught is British Sign Language.  If you wish to take this class, please contact your head of house before you leave for the train tomorrow.**

**On another note, I would like to congratulate you all on a rather splendid year.  Myself, as well as many other professors, have noticed that there has been an increase in inter-house relationships.  For decades, the four houses have been enemies, and now, that time of contention is coming to an end.  We all hope that, over the summer, you maintain the relationships you have built, and next year, explore any new relationships you might discover.  You might find that you all have more in common than you thought.**

**And on that note, I would like to dismiss you to your dormitories for your final night at Hogwarts.**

            Immediately the Slytherins began to talk amongst each other, eager about the new class that was offered.  They all knew about the small boy in first year that was deaf.  His fellow year-mates were particularly excited.  Blaise leaned across the table to speak to Harry.  “I can’t wait to be old enough to take that class.  I’ve been struggling with signing all year, and I still haven’t gotten the hang of it.”

            Harry smiled at his friend.  “You just need to practice.  I think you’ll do great in that class if you want to take it.”

            All of the Slytherins nodded.  Harry felt his small body fill up with warmth and love for his house mates and friends.  Looking around the Great Hall, he could tell that there were quite a few older students talking excitedly about the new class, including the Weasley Twins and the other members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.  He also noticed a fourth-year boy from Hufflepuff talking with his friends about BSL.

            Even though Slytherin didn’t win the House Cup, he still felt like this year had a wonderful ending to it.  Harry was happy.


	16. King's Cross

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter! Duh-duh-duh!!!!!

            The morning before Harry was supposed to be getting on the Hogwarts Express, he was wandering through the dungeons, making his way to Severus Snape’s office.  He had a few things that he wanted to discuss with the Potions Master; things that Quirrell had said to him down in the depths of the castle.  He couldn’t leave Hogwarts without knowing the truth.

            Severus was rather surprised to see Harry standing outside his office, especially since he should be spending time with his friends in the Slytherin common room or out in the courtyard.

            “Harry?  Are you alright?” he asked, his concern leaking through his voice.

            “I’m fine, professor.  I was wondering if I could talk to you,” Harry answered, rather quietly.

            “Of course, come on in,” said Severus as he opened the door for the young boy.  He watched as Harry climbed into the chair across from his desk, his legs swinging comically.  However, it was quite obvious that he was nervous about something.  “What is it you wanted to talk about?”

            Harry took several deep breaths, his eyes closed, but his face thoughtful, as if he was trying to figure out what to say.  “You know about what happened down there?  With Quirrell?” Harry started.

            Severus nodded.  “As Dumbledore said, basically everyone knows and is talking about it.”

            “Well, when I was facing Quirrell, before he took the turban off, he said something to me about you.”  Harry paused for a moment, seeming to gather his courage.  “Well, he assumed I would have thought that you were the one trying to steal the Sorcerer’s Stone, but I told him that that was complete rubbish.  But then . . . “ here he paused again.  It was several moments before Harry spoke.  “He said that you knew my parents, and that you hated my father.  He said that you betrayed my parents and that you hated me.  I . . . I have to know, Professor,” said Harry.

            Severus put his face in his hands.  For the first time in a decade, he felt like crying.  On top of the traumatic experience Harry had had, Quirrell had made him feel as though he was unloved and unwanted.  And of course, after his years with the Dursleys, Harry assumed that what Quirrell had told him was true.

            “I will say that James Potter and I did hate each other.  I did make several mistakes that led to your parents’ deaths, which I regretted immediately.  However, I do love you, Harry.  You’ve shown me how to be a better man over this past year, and I am honored and thrilled that you are in my house,” Severus said softly, looking Harry directly in his eyes.  “At first, I was hesitant, because I saw James Potter when I first saw you.  But you are far more like Lily, my best friend and my confidante.  They both would be extremely proud of who you are, as am I.”

            Harry stared at the professor for a few moments, before darting around the desk and throwing his arms around Severus’s neck.  “I love you, too, Sev!” he cried.  Tears were leaking down his cheeks, and his breath was hitching slightly.  “I was so worried that you didn’t love me.  But I am so glad that you’re my head of house.  Uncle Moony and Padfoot said that you are always welcome at Grimmauld Place, and I hope you come to visit us over the summer,” Harry said.

            “I think I would like that.  I certainly don’t want to wait until September to see you again,” said Severus, his arms tightening around the young boy before setting him back on his feet.  “Now, off you go.  Enjoy the last few hours with your friends.  I promise I’ll see you soon.”

 

* * *

 

            The train ride to King’s Cross seemed to last only a short amount of time for Harry.  He was eager to meet his godfathers at the platform and start the first enjoyable summer of his life.  He and his friends stuffed themselves on the candy that Harry had gotten while he was in the hospital wing, to the point that most of them were feeling sick from all of the sugar they had consumed.  Hermione laughed at them as they cradled their stomachs.

            “I told you guys that too much sugar is bad for you,” Hermione said with a smirk on her face.

            On the platform, Harry nuzzled against Kaida and held on to Hedwig’s cage.  Fluffy followed behind him, startling several people.  He watched as the Weasleys had a rather joyous reunion while Draco was hugged by his mother and eyed from afar from his father.  Blaise was babbling with his mother using words that Harry couldn’t read.  Theo and Daphne’s families always went on a shared vacation, so they were met by Theo’s parents.  Vincent and Gregory were quickly whisked away by severe-looking mothers so Harry wasn’t able to properly wish them a good-bye.  He watched as the Weasleys left, Hermione following after to meet her parents on the other side of the barrier.  Pansy was gone, and slowly, the platform emptied of people.

            Harry couldn’t find Sirius or Remus anywhere.  They weren’t on the platform at all.  Hoping that they were beyond the barrier like the Grangers, and waited until the conductor allowed him through.  He wandered around King’s Cross station, looking for his godfathers.  Eventually, he sat down on a bench and began to cry.

            A hand grabbed him roughly around his arm and hauled him to his feet.  Harry looked up into the rather purple face of Vernon Dursley.  “How dare you make us wait, boy.  You’re lucky we decided to come to pick you up at all.  Now, grab your things and follow me to the car.”

            To say Harry was confused would be a gross understatement.  He was horrified.  “No, my godfathers are supposed to be meeting me here.  I’m going to go live with them,” he said without thinking.

            Uncle Vernon turned to him sharply.  “Your Headmaster told us that you don’t have any godfathers and that he has set up security measures to ensure that no adult of your kind is able to step foot on Privet Drive.  You’re in our hands now.”

            Harry wasn’t given a chance to respond since Vernon grabbed the trolley containing all of his possessions and shoved to into Harry’s stomach.  Despite the fact that he had gotten the breath knocked out of him, Harry grabbed his trolley and began to run.  He absolutely refused to go back to the Dursleys; he didn’t care what Dumbledore said.  After finally realizing what a loving home was like, Harry was going to find his way back to Grimmauld Place.

            Fluffy followed her master after leaving a bite on Vernon’s leg, making the grown man howl in pain.  She huffed proudly and ran next to Harry.  She could sense that that man was a horrible person, without an ounce of kindness in his pudgy body.  Fluffy refused to let Harry anywhere near that man and if he approached him, she was going to do a lot worse than bite his leg.

            Harry stopped at the entrance to King’s Cross and looked around, taking stock of his surroundings.  It was already dark outside and was cooling rapidly.  Needing to find a place where he could get help, Harry went to the nearby map of London.  He looked for any place that was familiar to him, and the street where the Leaky Cauldron stood out to him.  The entrance to Diagon Alley was less than a mile from where Harry was standing.  Harry wrestled his trunk off of the trolley and activated the wheels that would help him to drag it around easier.

            Sitting down on a nearby bench, Harry started to dig through his trunk.  “What are you doing, Harry,” Kaida asked him.

            “I’m looking for a parchment so I can send a note to Padfoot and Moony.  I don’t want to be stopped on the way to the Leaky Cauldron, so I’m going to send Hedwig ahead.  That way, they won’t worry about me, and I won’t be carrying an owl through the streets of London.  Do you think you could shrink more to fit in my pocket?  One of the things the Ministry told me was that I couldn’t let you be seen by muggles.”

            Kaida obligingly shrank herself, and climbed down into Harry’s pocket while he was looking in his trunk.  He found a piece of parchment and scrawled a quick note that he was alright and heading to the Leaky Cauldron.  He would ask Tom, the barkeeper, if he could Floo to Grimmauld Place.

            Hedwig took the proffered letter in her beak and swooped out into the night after Harry told her to stay with his godfathers until he got there.  Harry grabbed his invisibility cloak from the trunk and then slammed the top down and locked it closed.  He hid the bird cage for Hedwig with the invisibility cloak, grabbed the handle of his trunk, checked the map one more time, and headed off into London.

            There were quite a few pedestrians that did a double take at the sight of a boy dragging a trunk that was almost bigger than him through the streets of London.  A few people called out to him, asking if he needed help, but he ignored them and kept walking.  Those people that had offered assumed that the boy was either extremely rude or didn’t need their assistance.  Nearly an hour later, close to 10:30, Harry arrived in the familiar street.

            Every time he had come to the Leaky Cauldron with Sirius and Remus, they traveled by Floo directly into Diagon Alley or the Leaky Cauldron.  He had only come through the streets once before, when Hagrid took him shopping for his school things nearly a year before.  Looking at the various shops on the street, Harry looked for the shabby building that advertised one of the most famous pubs in Great Britain for wizards.  Muggles, of course, only saw a building that was destined for destruction.

            Harry entered the pub, grateful that the door wasn’t locked.  Inside, there was an eclectic array of witches and wizards drinking at the various tables.  Harry saw one witch with warts covering her face, nursing what looked like blood.  There was another wizard that stared at Harry through lidded eyes, and Harry quickly moved away from him and towards the bar.  Sitting at the bar were a few younger wizards, drinking merrily together.

            Tom looked up when the door rang and saw Harry Potter hesitating on the threshold.  He approached the boy, carefully, well aware that the boy was deaf and easily startled.  When he knew he had the boy’s attention, Tom said, “Mr. Potter.  What are you doing here?  Shouldn’t you be headed home?”

            “Hi Tom.  The only people waiting for me at the platform were the Dursleys, and I refuse to go back to them.  I ran away from them.  I was hoping you would let me Floo over Sirius’s place.”

            “Of course, Mr. Potter.  Let me help you with your trunk.  It’ll take a few minutes to make sure we’re hooked up to Grimmauld Place.  While you’re waiting, would you like a warm drink?  The nights get a little chilly in London around this time of year.”

            Harry accepted gladly, propping his trunk next to him as he clambered onto a barstool.  Fluffy sat at his feet, looking out over the wizards and witches in the pub.  They, in turn, stared at the famous boy that had a small Cerberus following him around.  Harry ignored all of the other patrons in favor of drinking his cocoa and warming himself up.  He stuck his hand in his pocket and stroked Kaida’s scales, seeking comfort from his dragon.

            “You’ll be home soon,” she whispered in Parseltongue.  Harry didn’t respond, knowing that a lot of the wizarding world frowned down at that particular magical ability.

            Tom set a mug of steaming cocoa in front of the little boy and walked over to the fireplace.  He threw in some Floo powder and stuck his head into the flames, shouting “Grimmauld Place!”  The sitting room that his head appeared in was devoid of humans, but there was an old house elf there.

            “You, there!” Tom said sharply.  “Is your master home?”

            “Master Sirius is downstairs with Master Remus,” the house elf said grumpily.  After being treated kindly by the masters of the house, he did not like the way Tom spoke to him.  He trotted off, and Tom waited patiently.

            He heard footsteps thundering up the stairs and both men burst into the room.  Sirius knelt down next to the fireplace.

            “Is Harry with you, Tom?”

            “Yes, I’ve got him drinking some cocoa for now.  He said that no one was waiting for him at the station except for those muggles he was living with.  Apparently, he ran from them and made his way here.”

            “That’s quite a way to walk by himself,” Remus said.

            “Will you establish a link between your place and the pub?  I’ll send him through in about ten minutes,” Tom said.

            After receiving a confirmation, Tom withdrew his head from the fire and looked at the boy that was currently in his car.  His feet were swinging slightly, a good foot or so above the floor.  Harry had gotten even skinnier since the last time Tom had seen him, if that was possible.  He had, of course, read the Daily Prophet article and realized that Quirrell was not the only one to receive injuries during the fight between this little boy and the ex-professor.  Tom walked over and patted Fluffy’s head before going around the bar so Harry could see what he was saying.

            “Your godfathers are establishing a connection now.  It’ll take about ten minutes, so don’t rush yourself to finish your cocoa.”

            “Thank you, Tom.  I really appreciate your help.  I wasn’t entirely sure what to do.”  The boy stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out a small pouch.  “How much do I owe you for the cocoa and the Floo powder?”

            “Mr. Potter, you don’t need to pay me.  I’m glad to help you to reunite with your godfathers.  Besides, they would have my head if I let you pay for something as simple as a mug of hot chocolate and a small handful of Floo powder.”

            Harry smiled shyly at the bartender, but put his bag of money away.  It sipped at his cocoa, enjoying the rich flavor.  He dipped his finger in it and let Fluffy lick the drop from his finger.  He giggled as the rough tongue tickled his hand, and all who were in the pub felt their hearts melt at the joyful sound.

            Ten minutes later, the fire flashed green briefly, and Tom motioned to Harry.  “The connection is established.  Let’s get you home, alright?”

            Harry nodded and hopped off of the stool, taking his trunk and motioning for Fluffy to follow him.  He stood in front of the fire, staring at the flames a little nervously.  He had used the Floo Network before, but he was always a little nervous that this time, he would do it wrong, or he would get burned by the fire.  Harry squared his shoulders and took a small handful of the powder that Tom offered him.

            He threw the powder into the fire and called, “Grimmauld Place!”  The fire turned green and Harry grabbed Fluffy by her vest and pulled both his dog and his trunk through the fire.  He stumbled through onto the rug in the sitting room of his new home.

            Without giving their godson a chance to look around, Sirius and Remus enveloped the boy in their arms, reassuring themselves that he was okay.

            “I’m so glad you guys are here,” said Harry with tears rolling down his face.  “I was so worried that I would have to go back to the Dursleys and that all of this was just a wonderful dream.”

            Sirius pulled away from the hug, shaking his head vehemently.  “No, we promised that you wouldn’t go back to them.  We came very close to breaking that promise tonight, and I can’t tell you how sorry we both are.  We were really worried about you.”

            Remus pulled away from Harry and helped him stand and brush the soot off of his clothes.  “We’re just glad that you thought to go to the Leaky Cauldron.  I’m not sure what Padfoot and I would have done if you didn’t find your way to us.”

            Harry pulled Kaida out of his pocket and set her on the ground, where she immediately grew to a larger size.  She blinked up at the two adults and back at Harry.  “These are good men, right?” she asked him seriously.

            “Yes, they are going to take care of me,” Harry responded, startling both of his godfathers with his Parseltongue.

            “Oh good.  If they treated you like that horrible purple man did, I wouldn’t hesitate to eat them for you.”

            Harry let out a chuckle.  “Thanks, Kaida.  I appreciate it.  But no, I don’t think I’ll ever see them again.  At least, not if I can help it.”

            Moony spoke up.  “Uh, Harry, is this Kaida, the dragon you bonded with?”

            Harry nodded happily.  “Come on, I want to say hi to Kreacher and I need a nice cup of tea after the day I’ve had.”

            Kreacher was absolutely thrilled to see his little friend again, and began to sign to Harry, having finally mastered the language.  He told him all about the happenings of Grimmauld Place since Harry had last been there.  Harry eagerly took in the information, laughing at the story of Padfoot chewing up Moony’s slippers one night.

            Eventually, the little family were sitting around the table, drinking cups of tea and chatting.  Harry asked the question that had plagued him since the platform.  “Where were you guys when the train came into the station?”

            Moony and Padfoot shared a look, before Remus took up the story.  **We were in Dumbledore’s office.  Severus, Minerva, and the both of us have been fighting Dumbledore in court to gain custody of you.  The Wizengamot denied our request every single time we asked, regardless of the evidence of abuse we provided.  We were arguing with Dumbledore that you didn’t belong with the Dursleys, that you belonged in a home with people that would love you and take care of you.  He disagreed.  Our discussion took so long that by the time we were done, the train had been at King’s Cross for over an hour.  We apparated there immediately, but we couldn’t find you anywhere.**

**We came here, hoping that the Weasleys or maybe Minerva had brought you here, but the only one was Kreacher.  That was when Hedwig came with your note.  We were worried, of course, but figured that it would be difficult to find you in muggle London, and would wait for you to contact us from the Leaky Cauldron.**

**We are so sorry, cub.  I wish that we had been there to meet you.  I wish you hadn’t met the Dursleys, though I don’t know why they were there.  But I can’t tell you how glad we are that you’re here with us.**

            “It’s alright Uncle Moony.  I’m glad I’m here, too.  Let’s hope that you both and Severus and Aunt Minnie will be able to win the court case.  If needed, I can join you at the court to provide evidence.  That might be the push they need to give custody to you,” Harry said.

            Sirius grinned at his godson.  “I appreciate the offer, pup.  Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, but in the meantime, let’s get up to bed.  We’ve got to make sure we’re well rested so we can enjoy our summer holidays.”

            Harry gave both of his godfathers a hug as well as Kreacher.  Fluffy followed him to his room, sleeping on the dog bed that Remus had bought.  Kaida curled up on the bed at Harry’s feet.  He fell asleep, thinking about how he was finally safe.  This summer was going to be the best he had ever had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Couldn't help but include some Weasley twin fluff. They are amazing.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments, Kudos, and Bookmarks are all welcome treats for me. I loved writing this fic and I hope you enjoyed reading it just as much.


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